Daily Briefing Sunday, Dec 14

Daily Current Affairs: 14 December 2025

Analysis for 14 December 2025

Ajai Kumar Shukla appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of PNB Housing Finance

[PNB Housing Finance]

Key Updates:

  • Ajai Kumar Shukla has been appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of PNB Housing Finance for five years starting December 18.
  • He succeeds Girish Kousgi, who was seen as a key driver of the company’s push into the affordable housing segment.
  • Shukla is currently the chief business officer at Tata Capital Housing Finance and has previously worked with ICICI Bank and LIC Housing Finance.

Similar / Past Coverage

PNB extends Executive Director M. Paramasivam’s tenure till March 2027 (Mid of September) ▼
  • The Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, approved the extension of Paramasivam’s term beyond his existing tenure, which was set to end on November 30, 2025.
  • The extended term will continue until the date of his superannuation on March 31, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
  • Shares of PNB ended marginally lower on Tuesday (Sept 16).
  • The stock has gained 5.6% in the year so far.
Harmanpreet Kaur appointed as first female brand ambassador of Punjab National Bank (Start of December) ▼
  • Harmanpreet Kaur has been appointed as the first female brand ambassador of Punjab National Bank (PNB).
  • The appointment was announced during the launch of PNB's new initiatives including the RuPay Metal Credit Card Luxura, PNB One 2.0, and Digi Surya Ghar.
  • The partnership highlights PNB's focus on inclusivity and excellence in its brand transformation journey.
Piyush Gupta appointed as Temasek Holdings India chairman (End of November) ▼
  • Piyush Gupta has been appointed as Temasek Holdings India chairman in an advisory capacity effective December 1, 2025.
  • He will work with Ravi Lambah, Temasek's head of India and strategic initiatives, to shape investment strategies and support portfolio companies.
  • Gupta previously served as Chief Executive Officer of DBS Group from 2009 until earlier this year.
Shashank Srowthy appointed as CFO of Procter & Gamble Health (Mid of September) ▼
  • Shashank Srowthy has been appointed as the Chief Financial Officer, effective October 1, 2025.
  • He is a Bachelor of Electronics & Telecommunication Engineering from Pune University and a Master of Management Studies from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies.
  • He joined P&G in 2011 in India and has worked across India, Dubai, and Singapore.

State Award-winning actor Akhil Vishwanath found dead at 30.

Key Updates:

  • Akhil Vishwanath, a State Award-winning actor, was found dead at his home.
  • He was discovered by his mother while she was getting ready to leave for work.
  • Akhil began his career as a child artist and won the State Government Award for Best Child Artist for the telefilm 'Mangandi'.
  • He gained wider attention through the film 'Chola', directed by Sanal Kumar Sasidharan, which won the State Film Award in 2019.
  • Director Sanal Kumar Sasidharan expressed grief, stating that Akhil came into cinema from a life filled with severe hardships.
  • Actor Joju George also expressed his grief with the message 'Rest In Peace Akhil'.

Similar / Past Coverage

Kalyan Chatterjee passes away at 81; Veteran Bengali actor (Start of December) ▼
  • Kalyan Chatterjee passed away at the age of 81 after battling typhoid and age-related ailments.
  • He made his acting debut in the 1968 film 'Apanjan' and appeared in over 400 films.
  • Chatterjee was known for portraying the everyday Bengali man and worked with directors like Satyajit Ray and Sujoy Ghosh.
  • His notable films include 'Pratidwandi', 'Kahaani', 'Dhanyee Meye', 'Dui Prithibi', 'Sabuj Dwiper Raja', and 'Baishe Srabon'.
  • He also acted in Hindi films and web series like 'Tansener Tanpura'.
Mahantesh Bilagi died in road accident while serving as Managing Director of Karnataka State Minerals Corporation Ltd (KSMCL). (End of November) ▼
  • Mahantesh Bilagi, IAS, was the Managing Director of Karnataka State Minerals Corporation Ltd (KSMCL).
  • He previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Panchayats and as District Collector in multiple districts.
  • He died in a car crash near Gounahalli, Kalaburagi district, Karnataka, along with relatives Shankar Bilagi and Eranna Bilagi.
K Vaikunth honoured with commemorative stamp unveiled by Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant (End of November) ▼
  • Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant unveiled a commemorative postage stamp honouring cinematographer K Vaikunth at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025 in Panaji.
  • The stamp release event was attended by Vaikunth's son Amit Kunkalekar and officials of the Indian Post department.
  • Vaikunth, a native of Margao, Goa, was credited with shaping the visual language of classical Hindi cinema through films like 'Seeta aur Geeta' and 'Aandhi' with directors Gulzar and Ramesh Sippy.
Lee Soon-jae, South Korea's 'TV dad', passed away at age 91. (End of November) ▼
  • Lee Soon-jae died on Tuesday at the age of 91, according to his agency.
  • He was known as the 'national TV dad' for roles in 'What on Earth is Love' and 'High Kick!'.
  • He won the grand prize at the KBS Drama Awards for 'Dog Knows Everything'.
  • He was the oldest South Korean actor to win the KBS Drama grand prize.
  • Lee appeared in about 140 TV shows and acted on stage until October 2024.
  • He served as a member of parliament for the Democratic Liberal Party from 1992 to 1996.

Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and Department of Posts (DoP) sign MoU to expand mutual fund access across India.

[Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), Department of Posts (DoP)]

Key Updates:

  • BSE and Department of Posts sign MoU to enable distribution of mutual fund products through India Post’s network.
  • Selected DoP employees will be trained and onboarded as certified mutual fund distributors via BSE StAR MF platform.
  • MoU valid for three years from December 12, 2025, with provisions for renewal.

Similar / Past Coverage

Master Capital Services receives SEBI in-principle approval to sponsor mutual fund (Mid of November) ▼
  • Master Capital Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Master Trust, has received in-principle approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to sponsor a mutual fund.
  • India’s mutual fund industry assets under management have broken through the Rs 70 trillion mark.
  • The proposed mutual fund will create equity, hybrid, and multi-asset schemes using a combination of quantitative investment methodologies with a bottom-up approach.
DoP-BSNL MoU for SIM Sales & Recharge via Post Offices (Mid of September) ▼
  • MoU signed between Department of Posts (DoP) and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) on 17 September 2025.
  • Objective: Expand BSNL mobile connectivity reach across India by leveraging India Post’s 1.65 lakh post offices as Points of Sale for SIM sale and mobile recharge services.
  • Key Feature: Post offices will act as PoS; BSNL provides SIM stock and training, DoP onboards customers and facilitates secure transactions.
  • Implementing Agencies: DoP (Citizen Centric Services & RB) and BSNL (Sales and Marketing-Consumer Mobility).
  • Duration: Agreement effective for one year from 17.09.2025, renewable thereafter.
Shri Vivekanand Gupta selected for Public Financial Asset Management (PFAM) Program (Mid of September) ▼
  • Shri Vivekanand Gupta, Regional Provident Fund Commissioner of EPFO, has been selected for the Public Financial Asset Management (PFAM) Program 2025–26.
  • He is the only Indian and the first EPFO official to be selected for this program.
  • The PFAM Program is jointly organised by the World Bank–Milken Institute.
  • The program is hosted at Bayes Business School, UK.
  • It provides advanced training in capital markets and asset management to professionals from central banks, sovereign wealth, and pension funds.
IDFC FIRST Bank partners with FPSB India to upskill Wealth Management Regional Managers (End of November) ▼
  • IDFC FIRST Bank signed an MoU with FPSB India under the Approved Corporate Partner initiative.
  • FPSB India will upskill IDFC FIRST Bank's Wealth Management Regional Managers through specialised training and certification programs.
  • The collaboration supports hiring initiatives and creates enhanced career pathways for CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professionals.
  • FPSB India is the Indian subsidiary of Financial Planning Standards Board Ltd. and offers the globally recognised CFP® certification.
  • FPSB India is home to over 3,215 CFP® professionals in India and part of a global network representing more than 230,648 CFP® professionals worldwide.

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

[Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)]

Key Updates:

  • 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.

Similar / Past Coverage

Brookfield Asset Management invests $1 bn to build Asia's largest GCC facility in Maharashtra.

[Brookfield Asset Management, Maharashtra]

Key Updates:

  • Brookfield Asset Management will invest more than $1 billion to create a 2 million sq ft global capability centre (GCC) facility in Maharashtra.
  • The facility will be the largest in Asia and will create over 15,000 direct jobs and support another 30,000 indirect jobs.
  • Brookfield aims to more than triple its assets under management in India to $100 billion over the next five years.
  • Maharashtra introduced a dedicated GCC policy earlier this year targeting the creation of 4 lakh new jobs.

Similar / Past Coverage

Government data shows India’s FDI inflow rises 18% to USD 35.18 bn in Apr-Sep (Start of December) ▼
  • India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) rose over 18% in April-September to USD 35.18 billion.
  • FDI equity inflow during April-September stood at USD 16.55 billion.
  • Inflows from the US more than doubled to USD 6.62 billion in April-September.
  • Services sector accounted for 16% of total FDI equity inflow, amounting to USD 5.10 billion.
  • Maharashtra received the highest share of FDI equity inflow at 31%, totaling USD 10.57 billion.
  • Karnataka and Gujarat followed with 21% and 15% of FDI equity inflow respectively.
Telangana bags Rs 5.75 lakh crore investments (Start of December) ▼
  • Telangana attracted total investment commitments of nearly Rs 5.75 lakh crore at its global summit.
  • Investment proposals worth Rs 2.9 lakh crore were attracted on the final day of the summit.
  • MoUs were signed across multiple sectors including food and agriculture, electronics, manufacturing, data centres, and biotechnology.
  • Top firms pledging investments included Godrej Industries Group, Reliance Consumer Products Limited (RPCL), Kaynes Technology India Limited, and Bharat Biotech.
  • Godrej Group pledged Rs 150 crore to expand its dairy business.
  • Reliance Consumer Products Limited (RPCL) plans a Rs 1,500 crore investment for a manufacturing facility for beverages, snacks, confectionery, and other consumer products.
  • Electronics manufacturer Kaynes Technology India Limited committed Rs 1,000 crore as part of its expansion plans.
  • JCK Infra pledged Rs 9,000 crore for data centre facilities.
  • APG Group plans to invest Rs 6,750 crore for a hyperscale data centre campus.
  • Infrakey Data Centre Parks announced an investment of Rs 70,000 crore.
  • Tokyo-headquartered NTT DATA Group announced a Rs 10,500 crore AI data centre cluster in Hyderabad in April.
  • The Brookfield-Axis Energy Ventures consortium committed to an MoU worth Rs 75,000 crore.
  • Adani Group is setting up a 48-megawatt AI green data centre in Telangana with an investment of Rs 2,500 crore.
Andhra Pradesh Secures Over Rs 13 Lakh Crore Investment Commitments at CII Summit (Mid of November) ▼
  • Andhra Pradesh has seen over Rs 13 lakh crore investment commitments.
  • The summit has been instrumental in attracting over Rs 13 lakh crore worth of investment agreements, backed by nearly 640 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).
  • The commitments are expected to generate approximately 16.3 lakh jobs across sectors.
  • Energy emerged as the largest investment category, accounting for Rs 5.3 lakh crore of the total commitments.
  • Reliance Industries announced plans for a 1 gigawatt (GW) Artificial Intelligence Data Centre alongside a 6 gigawatt peak (GWp) solar facility.
  • Alphabet, Google’s parent firm, plans to invest $15 billion in Andhra Pradesh to build a major AI data hub center in the state.
  • Adani Group announced an investment commitment of Rs 1 lakh crore over the next decade across renewable energy, ports, logistics and digital infrastructure.
  • The combined infrastructure initiative for Drone City in Kurnool and the Twin Space Cities in Sri Sathyasai and Tirupati carries a projected Rs 25,000 crore investment value.
  • The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) finalised agreements to establish a 1,200 megawatt-hour (MWh) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Nandyal and a 50 megawatt (MW) hybrid solar plant.
  • The Raymond Group announced a Rs 1,201 crore expansion plan covering apparel production, automotive component manufacturing and aerospace engineering.
  • The state approved 12 new projects valued at Rs 2,320 crore as part of the Sri City industrial cluster expansion.

International Labour Organisation (ILO) flags India as second globally for share of workers exceeding 49-hour week

[International Labour Organisation (ILO)]

Key Updates:

  • International Labour Organisation (ILO) data shows 51 per cent of Indian employees work more than 49 hours weekly, placing India second globally behind Bhutan.
  • India’s average worker clocks 46.7 hours per week, down from 63.4 per cent of workers exceeding 49 hours in 2018 to 50.5 per cent in 2023.
  • Work-related suicides linked to career problems totaled 2,083 cases in 2022, with youth aged 18-30 accounting for 38.5 per cent of such cases.
  • Maharashtra reported the highest share of work-related suicides at 30.7 per cent, followed by Gujarat at 16.4 per cent and Karnataka at 11.4 per cent.
  • Share of women working over 49 hours weekly rose from 13.2 per cent in 2018 to 16.1 per cent in 2023, while men’s share dipped from 86.8 per cent to 83.9 per cent.

Similar / Past Coverage

World Inequality Report 2026 (WIR) Reveals India's Extreme Income and Wealth Concentration (Mid of December) ▼
  • The World Inequality Report 2026 (WIR) situates India as one of the world’s most unequal large economies.
  • In India, the top 10% earners capture 58% of national income.
  • In India, the bottom 50% receives only 15% of national income.
  • The top 10% in India holds about 65% of national wealth.
  • The top 1% in India holds about 40% of national wealth.
  • India's average annual income per capita (PPP) is 6,200 Euros.
  • India's average wealth per capita (PPP) is 28,000 Euros.
  • India's female labour participation rate is 15.7%, showing no improvement over the past decade.
  • In 1980, a larger share of India’s population was in the “middle-40%” globally, but now almost all are in the bottom 50% globally.
  • Globally, the top 10% of the population earn 53% of global income, while the bottom 50% receive only 8%.
  • Globally, the top 10% own 75% of all global wealth, while the bottom 50% own only 2%.
  • The global top 0.001% (fewer than 60,000 people) hold three times more wealth than the poorest 50% of humanity combined.
  • Since the 1990s, the wealth of billionaires has grown at approximately 8% annually, nearly twice the rate of growth experienced by the bottom half of the population.
India-ILO MoU to Develop International Reference Classification of Occupations (Mid of September) ▼
  • MoU signed between the Government of India and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
  • The agreement aims to develop an 'International Reference Classification of Occupations'.
  • The initiative seeks to facilitate global job opportunities for youth, address skill gaps, and enhance labor market efficiency and collaboration.
  • The MoU is expected to support India's vision of becoming a global skill and talent hub.
  • It is anticipated to bridge global skill gaps and bolster employment opportunities for youth worldwide, particularly through well-managed skill-based migration pathways.
India's Unemployment Rate Falls to 5.1% in August 2025: PLFS Data (Mid of September) ▼
  • India's overall unemployment rate (persons of 15 years and above) declined to 5.1% in August 2025, down from 5.2% in July and 5.6% in June.
  • Urban male unemployment fell from 6.6% in July to 5.9% in August, while rural male unemployment declined to 4.5%.
  • The overall rural unemployment rate dropped successively for three months from 5.1% in May 2025 to 4.3% in August 2025.
  • Female Worker Population Ratio (WPR) rose for two consecutive months to 32.0% in August 2025 from 30.2% in June.
  • Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) increased from 32% in June to 33.7% in August, with rural female LFPR rising from 35.2% to 37.4%.
  • The overall Labour Force Participation Rate rose to 55% in August from 54.2% in June.
  • The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) estimates are based on a survey of 3,76,839 persons in rural areas and 2,15,895 in urban areas, totaling 5,92,734 individuals.
Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Records India's Unemployment Rate Decline from 6.0% to 3.2% (Start of December) ▼
  • Unemployment rate on usual status for persons aged 15 years and above declined from 6.0% in 2017-18 to 3.2% in 2023-24.
  • In Maharashtra, unemployment rate on usual status dropped from 4.8% in 2017-18 to 3.3% in 2023-24.
  • Maharashtra rural unemployment declined from 3.2% to 2.1%.
  • Maharashtra urban unemployment reduced from 7.4% to 5.2%.
  • Unemployment for 15-year-plus population stood at 5.1% in August 2025 and 5.2% in September 2025.
  • Rural unemployment was 4.3% in August 2025 and 4.6% in September 2025.
  • Urban unemployment was 6.7% in August 2025 and 6.8% in September 2025.
  • Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana targets creation of over 3.5 crore jobs over two years with Rs 99,446 crore outlay.
  • Code on Social Security, 2020 provides paid maternity leave of 26 weeks and mandatory crèche facility in establishments having 50 or more employees.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary K Vijayanand announces State secures National Energy Conservation Award for fourth consecutive year

[Andhra Pradesh]

Key Updates:

  • Andhra Pradesh secured the National Energy Conservation Award for the fourth consecutive year.
  • Andhra Pradesh secured the First Prize in the Group II category at the National Energy Conservation Award–2025.
  • The President of India Droupadi Murmu will present the National Energy Conservation Award–2025 on December 14, 2025, to the State Designated Agency, Andhra Pradesh State Energy Conservation Mission (APSECM).
  • The State government nominated L Sivashankar, CMD APSPDCL, to receive the award on behalf of APSECM.
  • Key initiatives include the Integrated Clean Energy Policy, Andhra Pradesh Industrial Development Policy 4.0 (2024–29), and sector-specific policies for MSMEs, Electronics, and Food Processing.
  • Andhra Pradesh, placed in Group II by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, emerged as the top performer with 89.25 points in State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI)–2025.
  • The State Energy Efficiency Index (SEEI)–2025 score of 89.25 marks a 2.3 percent improvement over its SEEI–2024 score of 87.25.
  • Significant progress was made in enforcing the Energy Conservation Building Code, implementing energy efficiency projects in schools, hospitals, and ITI colleges, introducing advanced technologies in MSMEs, formulating the Energy Conservation Policy, and finalising the State Energy Efficiency Action Plan.

Similar / Past Coverage

Andhra Pradesh and WEF to establish Centre for Energy and Cyber Resilience (Mid of November) ▼
  • Andhra Pradesh government and World Economic Forum signed agreement to set up a centre for energy and cyber resilience
  • Centre aims to protect electricity infrastructure in the state
  • CM Chandrababu Naidu stated target to generate 160 GW of green energy in Andhra Pradesh
  • AI-driven technologies to be used to reduce power transmission losses and supply costs
  • State quickly implemented solar rooftop power generation under PM Surya Ghar scheme
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.
EESL selects Araku Valley for India’s largest Geothermal Energy Technology pilot project (Start of November) ▼
  • Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) is implementing India’s largest Geothermal Energy Technology (GET) pilot project in Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh.
  • The project uses earth air tunnel systems and ground source heat pumps that exploit stable underground temperatures for eco-friendly heating and cooling.
  • Expected outcome: over 50% reduction in energy consumption and significant cut in greenhouse-gas emissions for tourism establishments.
  • Financial payback period is stated to be three to four years, enhancing attractiveness to the hospitality sector.
  • The initiative aligns with Andhra Pradesh’s goal to generate more than 25,000 direct and indirect jobs from tourism projects over the next four years.
BEE introduces NECA 2025 award category for content creators to promote energy efficiency (Mid of September) ▼
  • Implementing body: Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power, Government of India
  • Objective: “empower content creators and influencers as catalysts of change” to spread awareness about energy conservation and sustainability
  • Eligibility: content creators/influencers with “at least 10,000 followers or subscribers on any major social media platform”
  • Submission requirement: short videos (up to 90 seconds) in Hindi or any Indian language with English/Hindi transcript, uploaded with hashtag #NECA2025 and registered at www.neca.beeindia.gov.in
  • Recognition: winners felicitated at the National Energy Conservation Awards Ceremony on 14th December 2025 in New Delhi

Union Cabinet Clears Bill Allowing 100 Per Cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Insurance Sector

[Union Cabinet]

Key Updates:

  • The Union Cabinet approved a bill to raise Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the insurance sector to 100 per cent.
  • The proposed legislation is the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
  • Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the proposal in the Union Budget this year.
  • The insurance sector has attracted around Rs 82,000 crore in foreign investment.
  • The bill proposes amendments to the Insurance Act, 1938, allowing up to 100 per cent FDI.
  • It permits mergers between insurance and non-insurance companies.
  • The bill creates a dedicated policyholders’ fund.
  • A requirement mandates that at least one key management position, such as chairman, managing director or CEO, must be held by an Indian citizen.
  • Existing net worth requirements for insurers will remain unchanged.
  • Amendments are also proposed to the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) Act, 1956.
  • Changes to the LIC Act would empower its board to take operational decisions such as branch expansion and recruitment.
  • Amendments are also proposed to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) Act, 1999.

Similar / Past Coverage

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) grants corporate agency licence to Sahaj Insurance Services targeting 10 crore rural policies. (Mid of December) ▼
  • Sahaj Insurance Services Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of Sahaj Retail Ltd, received a corporate agency licence from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).
  • The company aims to sell about 10 crore insurance policies in its first year of operation.
  • Sahaj Retail Ltd operates a network of about 4.5 lakh digitally enabled rural centres serving over 70 crore people.
  • The insurance portfolio includes life, health, accident, crop, livestock and micro-insurance products developed in partnership with leading insurers.
  • Services will integrate government-backed insurance and social-security schemes to deepen financial inclusion.
  • Sahaj is active in states such as Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, North East and Odisha.
Government to propose 100% FDI cap in insurance sector; Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025 listed for Winter Session (End of November) ▼
  • The government will introduce the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Winter session of Parliament to raise the FDI limit in insurance from 74% to 100%.
  • The bill seeks to amend the Insurance Act 1938, the Life Insurance Corporation Act 1956 and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act 1999.
  • So far, the insurance sector has attracted Rs 82,000 crore in FDI.
  • The Securities Markets Code Bill, 2025 will merge the SEBI Act 1992, Depositories Act 1996 and Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act 1956 into a single framework.
IFFCO-Tokio General Insurance Company (IFFCO-TOKIO GIC) partners with cooperatives to expand micro insurance for package, health and motor policies. (Start of December) ▼
  • IFFCO-Tokio General Insurance Company is a 51:49 joint venture between Indian Farmers Fertilizer Co-operative and Japan-based Tokio Marine Group.
  • The company has tied up with a number of cooperatives to distribute micro insurance for package policies, health, and motor policies.
  • IFFCO-TOKIO GIC offers retail products including motor, health, travel, home, and personal accident insurance and corporate insurance products.
SHANTI Bill opens nuclear power sector to private players with 49% FDI (Mid of December) ▼
  • The Union Cabinet has greenlit the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill to open India’s nuclear power sector to private companies.
  • The bill proposes allowing up to 49% foreign direct investment and amending civil liability laws to cap supplier liability.
  • It aims to help achieve 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047 and support India’s net-zero targets.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reports India's forex reserves rise to $687.26 billion

[Reserve Bank of India (RBI)]

Key Updates:

  • India’s foreign exchange reserves increased by $1.03 billion to $687.26 billion for the week ending on December 12, 2025.
  • In the previous reporting week, India's forex reserves had dropped by $1.877 billion to $686.227 billion.
  • Foreign currency assets decreased by $151 million to $556.88 billion for the week ended December 5.
  • Value of the gold reserves increased by $1.188 billion to $106.984 billion during the week.
  • The Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) were up by $93 million to $18.721 billion.
  • India's reserve position with the IMF was down by $97 million to $4.675 billion in the reporting week.

Similar / Past Coverage

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) injects $5 billion USD/INR swap and Rs 1 lakh crore OMO to ease liquidity. (Mid of December) ▼
  • RBI combines a three-year USD/INR buy-sell swap of $5 billion with open market purchases of government securities worth Rs 1 lakh crore to inject durable liquidity.
  • The measures accompany a 25 basis point repo rate cut to 5.25%, taking the cumulative reduction since February to 125 bps.
  • The rupee has fallen 5% this year, becoming Asia’s worst performer and breaching the 90-per-dollar mark.
  • Foreign portfolio investors have withdrawn more than Rs 1.5 lakh crore, while foreign direct investment and overseas borrowing remain subdued.
  • Currency analysts expect USD/INR to trade within the 89.40–90.95 range.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) records $4.472 billion drop in India’s foreign exchange reserves. (End of November) ▼
  • India’s foreign exchange reserves fell by $4.472 billion to $688.104 billion in the week ended November 21.
  • Foreign currency assets declined by $1.69 billion to $560.6 billion.
  • Gold reserves decreased by $2.675 billion to $104.182 billion.
  • Special Drawing Rights dropped $84 million to $18.566 billion.
  • India’s reserve position with the IMF fell $23 million to $4.757 billion.
India's Forex Reserves Rise by $5.54 Billion to $692.57 Billion, Driven by Gold Holdings (End of November) ▼
  • India’s foreign exchange reserves increased by USD 5.543 billion for the week ended 14 November.
  • The total foreign exchange reserves reached USD 692.576 billion.
  • This rise followed a decline of USD 2.699 billion in the previous reporting week, when reserves had slipped to USD 687.034 billion.
  • The surge was largely driven by gold holdings, which rose by USD 5.327 billion, taking the total to USD 106.857 billion.
  • Foreign currency assets (FCAs) saw a modest rise of USD 152 million, bringing the total to USD 562.29 billion.
  • Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) increased by USD 56 million to USD 18.65 billion.
  • The reserve position in the IMF was higher by USD 8 million, reaching USD 4.779 billion.
India's Forex Reserves Fall to $689.73 Billion as of October 31, 2025 (Mid of November) ▼
  • India’s foreign exchange reserves fell by $5.6 billion in the week ended October 31, 2025.
  • The total foreign exchange reserves stood at $689.73 billion as of October 31, 2025, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
  • In the week preceding, the reserves had dipped by $6.92 billion to $695.36 billion.
  • Foreign currency assets, a major component of the reserves, decreased by $1.9 billion to $564.59 billion for the week ended October 31.
  • The value of gold reserves declined by $3.8 billion to $101.72 billion during the week.
  • Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) were down by $19 million to $18.64 billion.
  • India's reserve position with the IMF was up by $16.4 million at $4.77 billion in the reporting week.
  • The Reserve Bank of India undertakes interventions in the foreign exchange market to moderate undue volatility in the rupee’s exchange rate and preserve orderly trading conditions.

Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act: Proposed Increase in Guaranteed Employment Days and Name Change

Key Updates:

  • The government is considering a revamp of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
  • The revamp proposes to increase the number of guaranteed employment days for eligible rural households from 100 to 125.
  • The proposal also includes changing the name of the law to Pujya Bapu Rural Employment Guarantee Act.
  • The Union Cabinet discussed the proposal for the scheme's expansion and name change.
  • The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) administers the scheme.
  • The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has sought an outlay of Rs 5.23 lakh crores for five years till 2029-30 for the scheme's continuation, for approval to the Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC).

Similar / Past Coverage

Meghalaya Cabinet Approves Amendments to Fiscal Act and Service Rules (Mid of November) ▼
  • The Meghalaya cabinet approved the amendment to the Meghalaya Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2006.
  • This amendment permits the state to increase its fiscal deficit ceiling from 3% to 3.5% of GSDP, thereby facilitating additional borrowing.
  • The cabinet also approved the amendment to Rule 6(D) of the Meghalaya Ministerial District Establishment Service Rules, 2017, which will allow 50% of ‘Group D’ posts to be filled from among the Regular Casual Workers (RCWs).
  • Additionally, the cabinet approved the Service Rules for the Meghalaya State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, permitting it to have its own recruitment board to recruit its staff.
Delhi Government Abolishes Mandatory Renewal of Establishment Registrations (Mid of November) ▼
  • The Delhi government has abolished the provision of mandatory renewal of registration every 21 years for establishments.
  • This change is implemented under the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954.
  • The Labour Department of the Delhi Government has abolished the mandatory renewal of registration under Section 5 of the Act.
  • The primary objective of this decision is to promote 'Ease of Doing Business' and simplify business processes.
  • Previously, the Act mandated renewal of registration every 21 years from the date of registration.
  • This step will move the registration process towards a one-time registration model, freeing traders from the hassle of periodic renewals.
  • The registration process under the Delhi Shops and Establishments Act, 1954, is already fully online, requires no documents or fees, and issues certificates immediately, a system in effect since 2009.
Supreme Court Strikes Down Key Provisions Of Tribunal Reforms Law (Mid of November) ▼
  • The Supreme Court struck down key provisions of the 2021 Tribunals Reforms law, also known as the Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Act, 2021.
  • The law 'overhauled the functioning, structure and service conditions of tribunals across the country'.
  • The court invalidated Section 3, which 'mandated a minimum age of 50 years for appointment as a chairperson or member of a tribunal'.
  • Section 5 of the Act, which 'fixed the tenure of chairpersons and members of tribunals at four years', was also set aside.
  • The selection procedure for appointments in tribunals under Section 3, which 'required the Search-cum-Selection Committee (SCSC) to recommend a panel of two names for every vacancy', was set aside.
  • The bench also did not approve Section 7 of the Act, which 'equated the allowances and service conditions of tribunal members with those of civil servants'.
  • The Supreme Court directed the Centre 'to constitute a national tribunals commission within four months'.
  • The creation of such a commission is 'designed to ensure independence, transparency, and uniformity in the appointment, administration, and functioning of tribunals across the country'.
  • The verdict 'reinstated the five-year tenure rule to ensure security of service and institutional independence'.
  • The bench ruled that the SCSC 'should recommend only one name per post to curb excessive executive discretion in appointments'.

CoalSETU: Auction of Coal Linkages Without End-Use Restrictions

Key Updates:

  • The Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the Policy for Auction of Coal Linkage for Seamless, Efficient & Transparent Utilisation (CoalSETU).
  • The government approved the 'CoalSETU' window for the auction of coal linkages for diverse industrial uses and exports.
  • The policy will allow allocation of coal linkages on an auction basis on long-term for any industrial use and export by adding a separate window named CoalSETU in the NRS Non-Regulated Sector Linkage Auction Policy of 2016.
  • Any domestic buyer requiring coal can participate in the linkage auction, irrespective of the end use.
  • The coking coal shall not be offered under this window.
  • Linkage holders can now export up to 50 per cent of their quantity and flexibly utilise the fuel among group companies as needed.

Similar / Past Coverage

Ministry of Coal Notifies 18 QCI-NABET Accredited Private Agencies to Fast-Track Coal, Lignite Exploration (Start of December) ▼
  • The Ministry of Coal notified 18 private agencies accredited by Quality Council of India–National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (QCI-NABET) as prospecting agencies.
  • The notification allows coal block allottees to directly hire these agencies for prospecting work.
  • Exploration and preparation of geological reports are mandatory before a mine can be operationalised.
  • Expanding the pool of prospecting agencies aims to accelerate exploration, improve flexibility for mine allottees and enable quicker enhancement of coal and lignite production to meet rising energy requirements.
  • Adding more authorised agencies is expected to save about six months previously spent on agencies obtaining prospecting licences.
SHANTI Bill opens nuclear power sector to private players with 49% FDI (Mid of December) ▼
  • The Union Cabinet has greenlit the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill to open India’s nuclear power sector to private companies.
  • The bill proposes allowing up to 49% foreign direct investment and amending civil liability laws to cap supplier liability.
  • It aims to help achieve 100 GW nuclear capacity by 2047 and support India’s net-zero targets.
Koyla Shakti: Ministry of Coal launches Smart Coal Analytics Dashboard for data-driven governance (End of October) ▼
  • Name: Koyla Shakti – Smart Coal Analytics Dashboard (SCAD) developed by Ministry of Coal
  • Launch: Unveiled on October 29, 2025 at The Oberoi, New Delhi by G. Kishan Reddy, Minister of Coal and Mines
  • Objective: Provide real-time, data-driven insights into India’s coal ecosystem to strengthen transparency, accountability and efficiency aligned with Digital India mission
  • Integration: Unified interface integrating data from Coal-producing companies, Central Ministries (Coal, Railways, Power, Finance, Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Road Transport & Highways), State e-Khanij departments, power utilities, port authorities and private coal-handling terminals
  • Key Features: Real-time monitoring of production, dispatch, logistics; incident alerts; standardized metrics; simplified reporting; scalability for future datasets; policy forecasting for demand estimation and long-term planning
Cabinet Approves New Royalty Rates for Critical Minerals: Graphite, Caesium, Rubidium, Zirconium (Mid of November) ▼
  • The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the rationalisation of royalty rates for four critical minerals — graphite, caesium, rubidium and zirconium.
  • The move is aimed at promoting the auction and domestic production of these minerals, which are used in high-tech and green energy applications.
  • Caesium and rubidium will each attract a 2% royalty based on the average sale price (ASP) of the respective metal contained in the ore produced.
  • Zirconium will have a royalty rate of 1% of ASP.
  • Graphite will be charged 2% of ASP on an ad valorem basis for ore with 80% or more fixed carbon and 4% for ore with less than 80% fixed carbon.
  • The new royalty structure is expected to encourage the auction of mineral blocks, boost domestic production, reduce import dependence, and create employment opportunities.
  • The decision comes as the government advances the Sixth Tranche of auctions for critical mineral blocks, notified on September 16, 2025.

Census 2027 (Census-as-a-Service) Approved Budget ₹11,718 Cr for Two-Phase Digital Rollout

Key Updates:

  • The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved ₹11,718.24 crore for conducting Census 2027.
  • Census 2027 will be conducted in two phases: house listing and housing census from April to September 2026, and population enumeration in February 2027.
  • This is the first Census by digital means in the country using mobile apps for Android and iOS and the Census Management & Monitoring System (CMMS) portal.

Similar / Past Coverage

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.
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.
National Marine Fisheries Census: Household Enumeration and Digital Tools Launch (End of October) ▼
  • The initiative is the "5th Marine Fisheries Census (MFC)-2025", with its household enumeration phase set for an official launch on Friday.
  • Union Minister of State for Fisheries George Kurian will officially launch the initiative and a related national workshop at the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI).
  • The MFC 2025 will cover "more than 1.2 million fisher households across India’s coastal states and Union Territories, providing crucial data for sustainable fisheries management and policy planning."
  • The Census is coordinated by the "Department of Fisheries under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) with CMFRI as the nodal agency and Fishery Survey of India (FSI) as the operational partner."
  • The data collection exercise will last for "45-day" and is "Conducted once every five years by the CMFRI", collecting "detailed information on marine fishers, their households, fishing crafts, and gears."
  • The MFC 2025 is described as the "first-ever fully digital and geo-referenced marine fisheries census", utilizing "Customised mobile and tablet-based applications developed by CMFRI" for data collection.
  • Two major digital tools, "Vyas Bharat and Vyas Sutra apps — developed by CMFRI" will be released to streamline data collection and analysis.
  • A "National Marine Fisheries Data Centre at CMFRI" will also be inaugurated, which "will serve as a central repository for comprehensive fisheries data across India."
16th Finance Commission Submits Report on Tax Devolution and Financial Arrangements (Mid of November) ▼
  • The 16th Finance Commission, led by Dr Arvind Panagariya, submitted its report for 2026-31 to President Droupadi Murmu.
  • The report contains recommendations on how the tax pool will be divided between the Centre and states for the next five years beginning April 1, 2026.
  • It includes a formula for dividing tax among states based on a weighted sum of population, area, demographic performance, fiscal effort, income distance, and forest cover.
  • The report also specifies revenue augmentation measures, arrangements for financing disaster management initiatives with reference to funds under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and determines financing of municipal bodies.
  • The 16th Finance Commission was set up on December 31, 2023, and was mandated to submit its report by October 31, with an extension until November 30.
  • The commission's members include former senior finance ministry official Annie George Mathew and economist Manoj Panda as full-time members, and SBI Group Chief Economic Advisor Soumya Kanti Ghosh and RBI Deputy Governor T Rabi Sankar as part-time members.

Uttarakhand CM Dhami inaugurates 47th All India Public Relations Conference

[Uttarakhand]

Key Updates:

  • Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the 47th All India Public Relations Conference-2025 held at Hotel Emerald Grand on Sahastradhara Road in Dehradun.
  • The conference is organized by the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) with the theme 'Viksit Bharat @2047: Development as well as Heritage.'
  • The three-day event includes expert sessions on Uttarakhand's 25-year development journey, media and public relations, technology, GST, artificial intelligence, cybercrime, misinformation, and international public relations.

Similar / Past Coverage

Uttarakhand Foundation Day celebrated on November 9 (Start of November) ▼
  • Uttarakhand was carved out of Uttar Pradesh and became India’s 27th state on November 9, 2000.
  • The day is celebrated every year as the state’s foundation day.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi described Uttarakhand as a 'sacred land today accelerating progress in every field, including tourism'.
President Droupadi Murmu Addresses Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly (Start of November) ▼
  • The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, addressed the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly.
  • The address was delivered at Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
  • The occasion was the Silver Jubilee of the formation of Uttarakhand state.
  • The President stated that 'legislative assemblies are a key pillar of our parliamentary system'.
  • She appreciated the members of Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly for implementing the Uniform Civil Code Bill.
Uttarakhand CM Dhami inaugurates Asian Cadet Cup India-2025 in Haldwani (End of September) ▼
  • Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the Asian Cadet Cup India-2025 on Friday.
  • The Asian Cadet Cup India-2025 is organized by the Fencing Association of India at Manaskhand Hall, Indira Gandhi International Sports Stadium, Haldwani.
  • The five-day competition, being organised under the aegis of the Asian Fencing Confederation, will continue until September 23.
  • Over 250 athletes are participating, including around 150 from India, across boys' and girls' categories.
  • Players from countries such as Tajikistan, Syria, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Indonesia are also competing.
  • Uttarakhand athletes won 103 medals in the National Games, securing the 7th rank for the first time.
  • The state has invested Rs 517 crore in world-class sports infrastructure.
  • The government is committed to establishing Uttarakhand's first Sports University and Women's Sports College in Haldwani.
  • A Sports Legacy Plan will set up 23 sports academies across eight major cities of the state.
22nd All India Annual TDS Conference to be held in Bhopal (Mid of November) ▼
  • The 22nd All India Annual TDS Conference is being organised by the Income Tax Department, Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh Region, in collaboration with the Principal Director General of Income Tax (Administration & TPS), CBDT.
  • CBDT Chairman Ravi Agrawal will inaugurate the conference at Hotel Taj Lakefront in Bhopal.
  • The conference will focus on recent amendments to the Income Tax Act, 2025, including TDS changes and new compounding guidelines issued on October 17, 2024.

UAE 2025 Foster Law opens fostering to expatriate families

[UAE]

Key Updates:

  • Federal Decree-Law No. 12 of 2025 fundamentally reshaping who can foster and how fostering works across the country.
  • Fostering in the UAE is open not only to Muslim nationals but also to expatriate families of any nationality and religion, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.
  • Any married couple, Muslim or non-Muslim, Emirati or expatriate, aged 25 years or older, may apply.
  • Single women aged 30+ from any nationality or religion may also foster.
  • The law applies specifically to children of unknown parentage.
  • Foster parents are strictly prohibited from imposing their cultural or religious beliefs on foster children.
  • Fostered children retain their legal identity and personal status as registered under the UAE state.
  • Foster families do not gain inheritance rights, as fostering remains a custodial, not adoptive, arrangement.

Similar / Past Coverage

DoPPW Clarifies Inclusion of Daughter's Name in Family Pension Records (Mid of November) ▼
  • The Department of Pension and Pensioners' Welfare (DoPPW) clarified rules regarding the inclusion of daughters' names in family details for central government employees and pensioners.
  • As per the rule, every government employee or pensioner must provide details of all family members, including daughters, whether or not they are eligible for family pension.
  • The eligibility for family pension would be decided after the demise of the pensioner/family pensioners in accordance with the existing rules.
  • This clarification is covered under Rule 50 (15) of the CCS (Pension) Rules, 2021.
  • Rule 50 (15) mandates government servants to disclose family information, including spouse, all children, parents, and disabled siblings, in Form 4 upon entering service and to submit updated information before retiring.
  • The details of son or daughter, whether or not eligible for family pension on the date of submission, must be included in Form 4.
UAE declares paid New Year holiday for private sector employees on January 1 (Mid of December) ▼
  • The UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has announced a paid holiday on January 1 for private sector employees.
  • The announcement was made through an official X post following the UAE cabinet’s approved list of holidays for public and private sector employees.
  • It remains unclear whether offices will reopen on Friday, January 2.
UAE Ranks Third Globally in Humanitarian Aid for 2025 (End of November) ▼
  • The UAE has been recognized as the world's third-largest humanitarian donor for 2025.
  • The UAE contributed $1.46 billion in aid for 2025.
  • This significant contribution was confirmed by UN OCHA (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) through its Financial Tracking Service (FTS).
  • Only two entities, the United States and the European Union, contributed more globally than the UAE.
  • The UAE’s contribution of $1.46 billion represents 7.2% of the total aid recorded by the United Nations for 2025.
  • The total global contributions tracked by the UN for 2025 reached $20.28 billion.
UAE Ministry of Economy & Tourism (MoET) launches region-first digital marketplace for trading trademarks. (End of November) ▼
  • MoET unveils TM Market Place, the Middle East’s first dedicated digital platform for listing, buying and trading registered trademarks.
  • Only national and international trademarks officially registered in the UAE can be listed on the platform.
  • There is no subscription fee required to browse, list, or access the marketplace; users pay only the agreed purchase price and the government fee for re-registering ownership.

Google’s Project Suncatcher Faces Space-Debris Threat in Crowded Low Earth Orbit

[Google]

Key Updates:

  • Google unveiled Project Suncatcher, an 81-satellite constellation to harvest sunlight in low Earth orbit for space-based AI data centers.
  • The constellation would operate in Sun-synchronous orbit about 400 miles above Earth, the single most congested highway in low Earth orbit.
  • Satellites would fly with a radius of just one kilometer, each node spaced less than 200 meters apart to form a distributed AI processing cluster.
  • Space debris travels at approximately 17,500 miles per hour; colliding with debris the size of a blueberry would feel like being hit by a falling anvil.
  • The U.S. Space Force tracks over 40,000 objects larger than a softball, representing less than 1 % of the lethal objects in orbit.
  • Starlink performed 144,404 collision-avoidance maneuvers in the first six months of 2025, illustrating the scale of avoidance needed for dense constellations.
  • A use-tax or orbital-use fee has been proposed to charge operators based on orbital stress, funding active debris removal missions.

Similar / Past Coverage

Google’s Project Suncatcher to launch solar-powered AI data-centre satellites (Start of November) ▼
  • Project Suncatcher: Google initiative to place AI data centres on solar-powered satellites in low-Earth orbit
  • Hardware: each satellite will carry Google Trillium-generation Tensor Processing Units (TPUs)
  • Partner & launch: two prototype satellites to be launched in partnership with Planet Labs by early 2027
  • Power advantage: solar panels in the selected orbit can produce up to eight times more power than ground-based panels
  • Data link: satellites will use high-speed free-space optical communication supporting data transfer at tens of terabits per second
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.
Google Plans AI Data Centre on Christmas Island Linked to Australian Defence (Start of November) ▼
  • Google is reportedly planning a major AI data centre on Australia's Christmas Island.
  • The plan is linked to a cloud computing agreement signed with the Australian Department of Defence.
  • Military experts view the facility as a crucial strategic asset for monitoring Indian Ocean activity and enabling advanced AI-driven command and control, especially with uncrewed systems.
  • Google applied for Australian environmental approvals to build the first subsea cable connecting Christmas Island to the northern Australian city of Darwin.
  • The data centre is partly to allow AI-enabled command and control, particularly when relying on uncrewed systems for surveillance missions and targeting missions.
  • The cable link for Google will be installed by US company SubCom, which also previously connected the U.S./UK military base of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
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.

Microsoft Boosts AI Deployment and Renewable Energy Infrastructure in India

[Microsoft]

Key Updates:

  • 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.

Similar / Past Coverage

IIT Madras and IndiaAI Mission to Host Meet on Safe, Trusted AI Ahead of India-AI Impact Summit 2026 (Mid of December) ▼
  • The Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI) at Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and the IndiaAI Mission under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will host a pre-summit meet on safe and trusted artificial intelligence.
  • The pre-summit meet will take place in Chennai.
  • The conclave aims to shape AI Safety Commons proposals and governance models for the Global South.
  • The meeting will discuss steps to create an AI Safety Commons for the Global South, including shared datasets, benchmarks and governance resources.
  • Discussions will also look at how responsible AI principles can be implemented through governance and regulatory models suited to different cultural, legal and technological environments.
  • The outcomes will feed into the roadmap for the India–AI Impact Summit and support India’s role in shaping a global AI framework centred on trust, safety and inclusion.
  • The India–AI Impact Summit will take place at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
  • This is the first time the summit will be held in the Global South.
  • Concerns around fairness, accountability and misuse underline the need for frameworks that can be used across global contexts.
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
India’s AI investment crosses ₹1.67 lakh crore ($20 billion), overtaking France, Japan and South Korea (End of October) ▼
  • Total AI-related investments in India have crossed ₹1.67 lakh crore ($20 billion) according to MeitY data
  • Private-sector AI investment in India between 2013-2024 reached ₹92,000 crore; total funding including public sector exceeded ₹1.02 lakh crore
  • Google announced a ₹1.25 lakh crore AI data hub in Visakhapatnam — its largest outside the United States
  • AWS committed ₹1.06 lakh crore in India by 2030 to expand cloud and AI computing infrastructure
  • Indian AI startups have attracted ₹44,000 crore in funding as of October 2025, with ₹19,600 crore going to generative AI ventures
Microsoft commits $17.5 billion for India’s AI-first future (Start of December) ▼
  • Microsoft will invest USD 17.5 billion in India over the next four years (2026-2029) to drive AI diffusion at a population scale.
  • The investment comes on top of Microsoft’s earlier commitment of USD 3 billion announced in January 2025.
  • Google will invest $15 billion in India over the next five years to establish its first AI hub in Visakhapatnam.
  • OpenAI will open an India office after ChatGPT usage in the country grew fourfold over the past year.
  • AI firm Perplexity partnered with Indian telecom giant Airtel to offer 360 million customers a free one-year Perplexity Pro subscription.

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi Conducts India's First Dedicated Clinical Trial of Advanced Brain Stent

[All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi]

Key Updates:

  • All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Delhi has achieved a milestone in stroke care by conducting the country's first dedicated clinical trial of a cutting-edge and advanced brain stent made for treating severe strokes.
  • The GRASSROOT trial, which evaluated the Supernova stent (Gravity Medical Technology), has found excellent safety and efficacy outcomes in the treatment of severe strokes, say officials.
  • The results were published in the ‘Journal of Neurointerventional Surgery’ (JNIS), part of the prestigious British Medical Journal group.
  • AIIMS Delhi was the national coordinating centre and the lead enrolling site for the GRASSROOT trial – India's first clinical trial of a new and advanced stroke treatment device, the Supernova stent.
  • Earlier this year, data from the GRASSROOT trial were accepted by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) and the Supernova stent-retriever was approved for routine use in India.
  • This is the nation's first stroke device cleared based on a domestic clinical trial.
  • Conducted across eight centres, the trial marks a milestone for the Make-in-India initiative and positions India as a global player in advanced stroke care.
  • Developed by Gravity Medical Technology, Supernova is designed for India’s diverse patient population, where strokes often strike patients at a younger age than in the West.
  • The device has already treated more than 300 patients in Southeast Asia.
  • It will now be manufactured and made available in India at affordable prices, offering new hope to the 1.7 million Indians who suffer strokes each year.

Similar / Past Coverage

Jitendra Singh inaugurates Uttarakhand's first AI Centre of Excellence at Graphic Era University (Mid of September) ▼
  • Centre of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence, Skill Development, and Innovation inaugurated by Union Minister Jitendra Singh at Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun
  • Facility houses Uttarakhand's first NVIDIA AI and High-Performance Computing unit with NVIDIA DGX B200 system, 8 GPUs and 1.74 TB GPU memory
  • Includes Apple iOS Development Centre established in collaboration with Apple and Infosys
  • Built at cost of over Rs 10 crore across 1.5 lakh sq. ft. to support research in healthcare, agriculture, environment, smart cities and advanced industries
  • Graphic Era University is India's first Generative AI Ready Campus powered by AWS and ranked 48th in NIRF 2025
UNESCO adopts first global ethical framework for neurotechnology (Mid of November) ▼
  • UNESCO has approved the world’s first international framework on the ethics of neurotechnology.
  • The framework, named 'The Recommendation', sets out global safeguards to ensure that advances in brain-related technologies respect human rights, mental privacy and personal dignity.
  • It urges governments to develop national regulations that protect mental privacy, ensure equitable access to therapeutic technologies and prevent misuse in commercial or employment settings.
  • The Recommendation highlights the risk of products that can influence behaviour or foster dependency, calling for clearer oversight and evidence-based evaluation.
  • It calls for bans on non-therapeutic use of neurotechnology involving children, and stresses the need for explicit consent, transparency and safeguards for vulnerable communities.
  • The framework was drafted by an international expert group led by neuroscientist Hervé Chneiweiss and legal scholar Nita Farahany.
  • The Recommendation’s adoption at UNESCO’s General Conference in Samarkand marks the first attempt to build global governance around neurotechnology.
RCI Launches Comprehensive Reforms to Transform Rehabilitation Education in India (End of October) ▼
  • Scheme Name: Central Rehabilitation Register (CRR) – fee waiver and validity extension initiative by Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI)
  • Key Feature: CRR registration, renewal, and qualification addition fees completely waived; validity extended from 5 to 7 years
  • Beneficiary: Students and rehabilitation professionals across India
  • Additional Feature: Automatic renewal for professionals earning 100+ Continuing Rehabilitation Education (CRE) points; online correction via digital dashboard at no cost
  • Initiative: 144 Centers of Excellence (CoEs) designated for 7-year approval tenure and automatic extension
  • Objective of CoEs: Ensure academic quality, participate in expert panels, examination boards, and academic reviews
  • Governance Reform: Common No Objection Certificate (NOC) system and reduced approval fees for institutions
  • Transparency Measure: Video-based inspections and Improvement Notice mechanism before re-inspection
  • Examination Reform: Supplementary exams within 75 days of results; uniform grace marks; paper setters/moderators/examiners drawn exclusively from CoEs
  • Inclusion Initiative: Promotion of Indian-authored books and regional language resources; special submission link on RCI website for Indian authors/publishers
PM Modi launches Rs 1 lakh crore RDI Fund to spur private R&D without direct industry investment (Start of November) ▼
  • Name: Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund with corpus of Rs 1 lakh crore
  • Implementing structure: Two-tier model—special purpose fund under Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) managed by Department of Science and Technology
  • Fund deployment: Capital routed through second-level fund managers (AIFs, DFIs, NBFCs) guided by independent investment committees

Siliserh Lake in Alwar District Designated India's 96th Ramsar Site

Key Updates:

  • Siliserh Lake in Alwar district was declared a Ramsar site Friday by The Convention on Wetlands, making it India's 96th such recognised wetland.
  • Kopra reservoir near Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh has also been added to the list.
  • The designation is a major boost for biodiversity conservation, water and climate security, and sustainable livelihoods.
  • Siliserh is known for its rich biodiversity and scenic landscape, offering sightings of more than 100 bird and animal species.
  • Its proximity to the Sariska Tiger Reserve further enhances its appeal as a key tourism destination in the region.
  • The Ramsar status would help strengthen conservation efforts, promote tourism, and support biodiversity and water-resource management around the lake.
  • Built in 1845 by Maharaja Vinay Singh to supply drinking water to Alwar city, Siliserh Lake remains an important historical and ecological landmark, with its old aqueducts still visible around the site.

Similar / Past Coverage

Chhattisgarh gets its first Ramsar wetland site on December 12, 2025 (Mid of December) ▼
  • The Kopra Reservoir in Bilaspur district was officially declared Chhattisgarh’s first Ramsar Site.
  • The declaration places Kopra Reservoir on the global map of wetlands of international importance.
  • The State Wetland Authority, environmental experts, forest officials, researchers, and local communities made joint efforts for this designation.
  • Kedar Kashyap is the forest and climate change minister of Chhattisgarh.
  • Vishnu Deo Sai is the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh.
  • The Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision 2047 includes a major target of securing Ramsar status for 20 wetlands by 2030.
  • Kopra Reservoir is highlighted as a suitable habitat for species such as the river tern, common pochard, and Egyptian vulture.
Meghalaya Unveils Soil Lake Amidst Accelerating Climate Threat (Mid of December) ▼
  • Meghalaya inaugurated the Soil Lake at Williamnagar in East Garo Hills, developed under the Nengsang River Valley Project.
  • The Soil Lake aims to rejuvenate a key water body, boost eco-tourism, and promote sustainability and ecological balance.
  • Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma warned that Meghalaya may have "even crossed the tipping point" due to intensifying climate impacts on water bodies, agriculture, and forests.
  • The state faces environmental decline, including a decline in spring discharge, irregular rainfall, and greater soil erosion over the past decade.
  • Nearly 70,000 springs sustain rural households in Meghalaya, with over 40 per cent of villages reporting reduced water availability during lean seasons.
  • The newly developed lake is a 0.5-hectare water body, capable of holding nearly 10,000 cubic metres of water.
  • The government's response includes the Meghalaya Climate Change Council and flagship programmes such as spring rejuvenation, watershed development, and climate-adaptive water harvesting.
  • More than 500 new structures are planned to support irrigation, recharge groundwater, and moderate floods and droughts.
  • A community-based water harvesting programme involves 533 structures to strengthen irrigation, flood control, and micro-hydropower generation.
Gogabeel Lake in Bihar becomes India’s 94th Ramsar wetland site (Start of November) ▼
  • Gogabeel Lake—an oxbow wetland between the Ganga and Mahananda rivers—has been designated as India’s 94th Ramsar site
  • The lake is Bihar’s first community reserve, “conserved and managed by the local community”
  • With this addition, Bihar now has six Ramsar sites, placing it third among Indian states
  • India remains the top Ramsar nation in Asia and third globally behind the UK (176) and Mexico (144)
  • The Convention secretariat notes that during floods the lake joins the two rivers, highlighting its hydrological role
Tamil Nadu govt clarifies no clearance given for housing inside undelineated Pallikaranai Ramsar wetland (Start of November) ▼
  • Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest notified as 698 hectares under Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882; additional 550 ha to be added after delineation to form 1248 ha Ramsar Site
  • National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) assigned boundary delineation with specific survey numbers in November 2024
  • State environment dept states building approvals granted only on 'private patta lands' outside current Pallikaranai Marsh Reserve Forest boundaries
  • Integrated Management Plan (IMP) for the Pallikaranai Ramsar Site preparation is underway

Pollution Curbs Made Stricter Twice In A Day In Delhi

[Delhi-NCR]

Key Updates:

  • The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) imposed GRAP-3 curbs after the Air Quality Index (AQI) crossed the 400 mark and entered the 'Severe' category.
  • The CAQM Sub-Committee on GRAP decided to invoke all actions as envisaged under Stage-IV of the extant GRAP - 'Severe+' Air Quality (DELHI AQI > 450), with immediate effect, in the entire NCR.
  • Under GRAP, the air quality is categorised into four stages: Poor (AQI 201-300), Very Poor (AQI 301-400), Severe (AQI 401-450) and Severe Plus (AQI above 450).
  • The CAQM stated that the feeble Western Disturbance approaching north-west India was the main contributing factor to the worsening AQI, and not local emissions.
  • Prevailing meteorological conditions, including a marked reduction in wind speed, a shift in wind direction from westerly to easterly, and an increase in moisture content in the lower atmosphere, are conducive to the formation of smog and fog.
  • A key restriction under Stage 4 of GRAP is the ban on the entry of non-essential trucks into Delhi.
  • All construction and demolition activities are completely halted under GRAP Stage 4, including public projects like highways, roads, flyovers, overbridges, power transmission lines, and pipelines.
  • State governments in Delhi and NCR may shift physical classes for students in Classes VI to IX and XI to online mode under GRAP Stage 4.
  • Public, municipal, and private offices are recommended to operate with at least 50% staff working from home under GRAP Stage 4.

Similar / Past Coverage

Delhi’s cloud-seeding trials fail to yield rain; IIT Kanpur cites low cloud-moisture (End of October) ▼
  • Technology/Event: Cloud-seeding trials using a Cessna aircraft dispersing eight 0.5-kg flares of silver-iodide mix per sortie
  • Implementing Agency: IIT Kanpur executing the project under a MoU with Delhi environment department
  • Key Finding: Seeded cloud humidity only 10–20 %, below optimal levels, producing no measurable rainfall over Delhi; neighbouring Noida/Greater Noida registered 0.1–0.2 mm
  • Objective: Intended precipitation to mitigate urban air pollution; PM2.5 at Mayur Vihar, Karol Bagh and Burari fell marginally (≈10–25 µg/m³) post-seeding though no rain occurred
  • Budget & Trials: Rs 1.9 crore spent on three sorties so far; overall budget Rs 3.21 crore covers up to nine trials
Ghaziabad tops India’s pollution chart in Nov 2025: CREA (Start of December) ▼
  • Ghaziabad emerged as the most polluted city in India in November 2025, with a monthly average PM2.5 concentration of 224 µg/m³.
  • Noida, Bahadurgarh, Delhi, Hapur, Greater Noida, Baghpat, Sonipat, Meerut and Rohtak joined Ghaziabad in the top 10 most polluted cities.
  • Delhi ranked as the fourth most polluted city, recording a monthly average PM2.5 concentration of 215 µg/m³ in November, about twice its October level of 107 µg/m³.
  • The contribution of stubble burning was comparatively lower this year, an average of seven per cent in November, down from 20 per cent last year.
  • Shillong, Meghalaya was Indiaʼs cleanest city in November, with a monthly average PM2.5 concentration of 7 µg/m³.
Delhi Government and MCD Offices Adjust Working Hours to Combat Air Pollution (Start of November) ▼
  • The Delhi government and MCD offices will adjust working hours amid rising air pollution levels.
  • The new working hours will be implemented from November 15, 2025, to February 15, 2026.
  • The staggering of hours aims to distribute vehicular traffic load and reduce congestion during peak hours, assisting in pollution control.
  • Delhi government offices will operate from 10 am to 6:30 pm.
  • MCD offices will function from 8:30 am to 5 pm.
CAQM revises Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) for Delhi-NCR (End of November) ▼
  • Implementing body: Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM)
  • Key revision: Several Stage IV measures now apply at Stage III (e.g., 50% physical staffing in public/private offices, work-from-home for remainder)
  • Additional shift: Stage II measures moved to Stage I (uninterrupted power supply, synchronized traffic flow, media advisories, augmented CNG/electric bus & metro services, differential off-peak fares)
  • Further shift: Stage III measures moved to Stage II (staggered office timings for GNCTD, NCR state governments, and Central Government offices in Delhi-NCR)

India gets past Egypt to reach Squash World Cup final

[Egypt]

Key Updates:

  • India defeated Egypt in the Squash World Cup semifinal.
  • India secured a 3-0 win against Egypt.
  • The semifinal match was held at Express Avenue Mall in Chennai.
  • Velavan Senthilkumar won his match against Ibrahim Elkabbani with a score of 7-1, 7-3, 7-6.
  • Anahat Singh emerged victorious against Nour Heikal with a score of 6-7, 7-5, 7-3, 3-7, 7-3.
  • Abhay Singh won his match against Adam Hawal with a score of 7-5, 6-7, 7-5, 7-6.
  • India will face top seeds Hong Kong in the title decider.
  • Hong Kong reached the final by winning on game difference following a 2-2 draw with Japan in the other semifinal.

Similar / Past Coverage

India B (Manipur) beats Colombia 8-5 to win the 15th Manipur Polo International Tournament (Start of December) ▼
  • India B (Manipur) clinched a spectacular victory over Colombia with a score of 8–5 in the final.
  • The championship match was held at the Imphal Polo Ground.
  • The Imphal polo ground, also known as Mapal Kangjeibung, is widely known as one of the oldest polo grounds in the world.
  • The winning team, India B (Manipur), was awarded a cash prize of Rs 2 lakh, while team Colombia took home a prize money of Rs 1.5 lakh.
Squash World Cup 2025 returns to Chennai for third consecutive edition (Mid of December) ▼
  • The Squash World Cup 2025 returns to Chennai for the third consecutive year, with the 2025 edition scheduled to take place from December 9 to 14 at the Express Avenue Mall and Indian Squash Academy (ISA).
  • India is the only nation to host consecutive Squash World Cups, both staged in Chennai’s top venues.
  • A total of 12 teams, divided into four groups of three teams each, will fight for the trophy.
Indian Women Clinch Inaugural Blind T20 Cricket World Cup (End of November) ▼
  • India won the inaugural T20 Blind Women's World Cup after defeating Nepal by seven wickets in the final at the P Sara Oval in Colombo.
  • India restricted Nepal to 114 for 5 after opting to bowl.
  • India coasted to 117 for 3 in just 12 overs to win the title.
  • Nepal managed only a single boundary in their innings.
  • Phula Saren top-scored for India in the run chase with 44 not out.
  • India had beaten Australia in the first semifinal.
  • Nepal had won against Pakistan in the second semifinal.
  • Co-hosts Sri Lanka won only one game—against the USA—out of five preliminary round games.
  • Pakistan's Mehreen Ali scored over 600 runs in the tournament, including a 78-ball 230 against Sri Lanka and 133 against Australia.
India finishes second as China tops ISSF World Cup Final (Start of December) ▼
  • India secured six medals — its best-ever ISSF World Cup Final performance.
  • Simranpreet Kaur Brar won gold in the women’s 25m pistol.
  • Suruchi Phogat claimed gold in the women’s 10m air pistol.
  • Sainyam, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Anish Bhanwala earned silver medals.
  • Samrat Rana took bronze in the men’s 10m air pistol.
  • Zorawar Singh Sandhu placed seventh in the men’s trap final.
  • China topped the medal tally with four gold and nine total medals.

National Energy Conservation Day observed on December 14

Key Updates:

  • The National Energy Conservation Day is celebrated every year on December 14 since 1991.
  • The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the Ministry of Power, spearheads the celebrations every year.
  • The objective of the day is to drive mass awareness about the importance of energy efficiency and conservation.
  • The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) recognizes industries with National Energy Conservation Awards and awards prizes to national winners of the annual National Painting Competition on Energy Conservation.
  • The National Energy Conservation Awards were given away for the first time on December 14, 1991.
  • Beginning 2021, the Energy Efficiency Innovation Awards (NEEIA) were added under two categories: Buildings, Transport and Industries; and Students and Research Scholars.
  • The Ministry of Power launched the National Painting Competition in 2005 to promote energy conservation among students.

Similar / Past Coverage

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.
BEE introduces NECA 2025 award category for content creators to promote energy efficiency (Mid of September) ▼
  • Implementing body: Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), Ministry of Power, Government of India
  • Objective: “empower content creators and influencers as catalysts of change” to spread awareness about energy conservation and sustainability
  • Eligibility: content creators/influencers with “at least 10,000 followers or subscribers on any major social media platform”
  • Submission requirement: short videos (up to 90 seconds) in Hindi or any Indian language with English/Hindi transcript, uploaded with hashtag #NECA2025 and registered at www.neca.beeindia.gov.in
  • Recognition: winners felicitated at the National Energy Conservation Awards Ceremony on 14th December 2025 in New Delhi
World Sustainable Transport Day 2025: 29th November, Accelerating Clean, Inclusive, and Resilient Mobility (End of November) ▼
  • World Sustainable Transport Day is observed globally on 29th November.
  • The theme for World Sustainable Transport Day 2025 focuses on accelerating clean, inclusive, and resilient mobility.
  • The slogan for World Sustainable Transport Day 2025 is “Accelerating the shift: Paving the way for inclusive and Resilient Mobility”.
  • The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) formally established World Sustainable Transport Day in a resolution adopted on May 16, 2023.
  • The initiative for World Sustainable Transport Day was led by Turkmenistan.
  • The date of November 26 was chosen for World Sustainable Transport Day because the first United Nations (UN) Global Sustainable Transport Conference was held on that day in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, in 2016.
  • A general slogan for World Transport Day is “Move Green, Move Smart”.
World Cleanup Day 2025 theme "Strive for Five!" calls for 5% of global population to join cleanups (End of September) ▼
  • World Cleanup Day 2025 theme is "Strive for Five!", a science-backed approach seeking participation of 5% of global population to trigger behavioral changes on plastic pollution.
  • World Cleanup Day 2025 will kick off with a live broadcast from Kiev, Ukraine, showcasing global cleanup stories and real-time impact.
  • International Day of Peace falls on the day after World Cleanup Day, reinforcing the event’s call for world peace through collective action.

International Day against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations to be observed annually on 14 December

Key Updates:

  • The General Assembly adopted texts recommended by its Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee).
  • The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) had its mandate extended until 30 June 2029.
  • The General Assembly decided to proclaim 14 December as the International Day against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations.
  • The International Day against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations is to be observed annually beginning in 2025.
  • The General Assembly adopted a decision concerning Gibraltar.
  • The General Assembly adopted four decisions concerning the 'Increase in the membership of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space'.

Similar / Past Coverage

Africa Industrialization Day observed on November 20 (End of November) ▼
  • Africa Industrialization Day is observed on November 20.
  • The day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly to promote industrial development in Africa.
  • The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) launched several projects to support industrial development in Africa.
  • The African Union (AU) developed a comprehensive industrialization strategy outlining a vision for Africa's industrial development by 2063.
  • Africa Industrialization Day aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG9), focusing on industry, innovation, and infrastructure development.
UNICEF Foundation Day 2025: December 11, Theme 'My Day, My Rights' (Mid of December) ▼
  • UNICEF Foundation Day is observed on December 11 every year.
  • The official theme for UNICEF Foundation Day 2025 is 'My Day, My Rights'.
  • UNICEF was established on December 11, 1946 to supply food, clothing, and medical care to children in post-World War II Europe.
  • UNICEF stands for the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, a name used until 1953.
  • UNICEF was founded in 1946 by Ludwik Rajchman.
International Day of Commemoration & Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide & the Prevention of this Crime observed on 9 December (Start of December) ▼
  • The International Day of Commemoration & Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide & the Prevention of this Crime is observed on 9 December.
  • The Secretary-General, António Guterres, stated that 'Genocide is an abomination. It is a horrendous crime. And it is the solemn duty of all States to prevent and punish it.'
  • The 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide was adopted as a pledge against eradication due to nationality, ethnicity, race or religion.
  • Human Rights Day is observed on 10 December.
  • The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is described as the bedrock of the global community, defining what every person needs to survive and thrive.
  • International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development is observed on 5 December.
  • Jan Marian presented his credentials as the new Permanent Representative of Czechia to the United Nations (Vienna).
  • John Brandolino is the Acting Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna (UNOV).
International Day of Peace observed on September 21: Theme 2025 - "Act Now for a Peaceful World" (End of September) ▼
  • The International Day of Peace is observed yearly on the 21st of September.
  • The day was originally established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981.
  • The theme for 2025’s International Day of Peace is “Act Now for a Peaceful World”.

UNESCO adds endangered living traditions to its Intangible Cultural Heritage lists

[UNESCO]

Key Updates:

  • 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.

Similar / Past Coverage

Diwali inscribed on UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list (Mid of December) ▼
  • Diwali was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during the 20th session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) held at the Red Fort in Delhi.
  • India currently has 15 elements inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, including Kumbh Mela, Durga Puja of Kolkata, Garba dance of Gujarat, yoga, the tradition of Vedic chanting, and Ramlila.
  • Sangeet Natak Akademi, the nodal agency for ICH matters of the Ministry of Culture, formed a committee comprising experts, academicians, practitioners, poets, and writers for the nomination of Diwali.
  • India has sent a nomination dossier for Bihar’s Chhat Puja for the next year’s cycle for the consideration of the UNESCO committee.
President Droupadi Murmu conferred National Handicrafts Awards 2023-2024 (Mid of December) ▼
  • President Droupadi Murmu conferred the National Handicrafts Awards for 2023 and 2024 at a ceremonial event in New Delhi.
  • The awards celebrate master artisans preserving centuries-old traditions while shaping the handicrafts sector's future.
  • President Murmu noted the handicraft sector employs over 3.2 million people, mostly in rural and remote regions.
  • Women constitute 68% of the handicraft workforce, making the sector a significant avenue for women’s empowerment.
  • She highlighted that the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative promotes regional crafts on global platforms.
Project Gaja-Lok: Unveiling the Cultural Majesty of Elephants (End of November) ▼
  • The culture ministry unveiled 'Project Gaja-Lok', a novel initiative celebrating the cultural and ecological significance of Asian elephants.
  • This program will feature an exhibition from November 19-25, hosted by INTACH.
  • A thematic exhibition marks the launch, showcasing ancient relics and artworks that depict elephants as icons of power and wisdom.
  • With a roundtable scheduled on November 20, experts will discuss human-elephant dynamics, ecological challenges, and transnational cooperation.
44th India International Trade Fair held at Bharat Mandapam, Delhi (End of November) ▼
  • The 44th India International Trade Fair brought together art forms from each corner of the country, showcasing rich cultural diversity at Bharat Mandapam.
  • Jharkhand was the focus state of the event.
  • The fair featured pavilions from Turkey, Tunisia, Iran, Afghanistan, and Hong Kong.