Daily Current Affairs: 18 December 2025

Analysis for 18 December 2025

Ashwini Kumar Tewari re-appointed as Managing Director of State Bank of India (SBI).

[State Bank of India (SBI)]

Key Updates:

Ashwini Kumar Tewari has been re-appointed as Managing Director of State Bank of India (SBI) with effect from the date of his assumption of charge beyond his currently notified term ending on January 27 2026, till the date of his superannuation that is December 31 2027.
This is the second time that Tewari got a two-year extension, the first extension having been granted in 2024.
He was initially appointed as MD of SBI in January 2021 for a three-year term.

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Ravi Ranjan appointed as Managing Director of State Bank of India (SBI) (Mid of December) ▼

Ravi Ranjan has been appointed as Managing Director of State Bank of India (SBI) with effect from December 15.
He previously served as Deputy Managing Director of SBI and led the Global Markets division for more than a year.
His tenure as Managing Director will continue until his superannuation on September 30, 2028, or until further directives, whichever is earlier.

Rituraj Sinha Managing Director of Tata Steel Utilities and Infrastructure Services Limited (UISL) passed away at 58 (Start of December) ▼

Rituraj Sinha was the Managing Director of Tata Steel Utilities and Infrastructure Services Limited (UISL).
He was pronounced dead on arrival at Tata Main Hospital.
Last rites will be held at Parvati Ghat.

Ajai Kumar Shukla appointed as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of PNB Housing Finance (Mid of December) ▼

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.

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.

National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) Won Two PRSI National Awards 2025

[National Council of Science Museums (NCSM)]

Key Updates:

The National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), operating under the Ministry of Culture, was honored with two PRSI National Awards 2025 by the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI).
NCSM received the awards in the categories of 'Best Use of Social Media in a Corporate Campaign' for the Har Ghar Museum initiative and 'Special/Prestige Publication Category' for the Waste to Art publication.
The awards were presented during the 47th All India Public Relations Conference held from December 13 to 15, 2025, in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
The theme of the conference was “Empowering Growth, Preserving Roots – The PR Vision for 2047”.
Shri Rajib Nath, Director (Hqrs.) of NCSM, and Shri Satyajit N. Singh, Public Relations Officer of NCSM, received the awards on behalf of the organization.
The award-winning Waste to Art initiative involved repurposing over 1,250 kg of waste, including metal scrap and discarded electronics, into art installations and science exhibits.
The Har Ghar Museum campaign achieved significant digital outreach, recording over 10 million views across platforms and engaging more than 1 million individuals.

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India Hosts 20th Session of UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage at Red Fort, New Delhi (Mid of December) ▼

India is hosting the 20th Session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) at the historical Red Fort complex in New Delhi.
The session is being held from 8 to 13 December 2025.
The inaugural session of ICH was held on 7th December and was graced by Hon'ble Minister of External Affairs, Dr S. Jaishankar; Hon'ble Minister of Culture & Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat; Director General UNESCO, Khaled El-Enany; Hon'ble Chief Minister of Delhi, Smt. Rekha Gupta; Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Shri Vivek Aggarwal; Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO, Shri Vishal V. Sharma; and Chairperson, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Ms Sandhya Purecha.
Delegations from over 180 countries are attending the event.
The Ministry of Culture, along with its autonomous body, Sangeet Natak Akademi, is the nodal agency for hosting the ICH Session in India.

MoSPI Releases National Industrial Classification (NIC) - 2025 (Mid of November) ▼

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released the National Industrial Classification (NIC) - 2025.
The release of the National Industrial Classification (NIC) - 2025 took place in New Delhi.
The National Industrial Classification (NIC) - 2025 was released on 18th November, 2025.
The releasing body is the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation of the Republic of India.

CSIR-NIIST and NTPC-NETRA clinch maiden DV Kapur Energy Innovation Awards (Mid of December) ▼

CSIR-NIIST Principal Scientist Dr Achu Chandran won Category 1 for his ‘Nano Electricity Generator’ research.
NTPC R&D wing NETRA bagged Category 2 for advancing ‘Green Use of Coal Technologies’.
Category 1 carried a cash prize of Rs 1 Lakh while Category 2 carried Rs 10 Lakhs.

Science City Kolkata’s climate-change gallery "On The Edge?" wins CIMUSET Award (Mid of November) ▼

Award-winning entity: National Council of Science Museums (NCSM) for its permanent gallery "On The Edge?" at Science City, Kolkata
Award bestowed by: CIMUSET (International Committee for Museums and Collections of Science and Technology) during the 27th ICOM General Conference in Dubai
Gallery specifications: 10,000-square-foot permanent gallery addressing human-induced climate-change causes, impacts, mitigation and adaptation
Key technologies used: immersive exhibits, augmented reality, virtual reality, and an interactive LED wall to convey climate impacts and solutions
Visitor outreach: over one million visitors since inauguration on January 11, 2025, with regular student-group outreach promoting climate literacy

Ambani Family emerged as the lone Indian entrant on Bloomberg’s 2025 list of world’s richest families

Key Updates:

The Ambani family emerged as the only Indian representative on Bloomberg’s 2025 ranking of the world’s 25 wealthiest families, with an estimated net worth of $105.6 billion.
Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of Reliance Industries, oversaw the conglomerate with interests in energy, petrochemicals, telecom, digital platforms, and sustainability-linked businesses.
Dhirubhai Ambani founded Reliance in the 1950s, building it into one of the largest corporate groups in India.
The Walton family of the United States (US), owners of Walmart, topped the list with a combined net worth of $513.4 billion and a network of more than 10,750 stores worldwide.
The Al Nahyan family of Abu Dhabi, the ruling family of the emirate that controls most of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) oil reserves, ranked second with an estimated net worth of $335.9 billion.
The wealth of the Al Nahyan family grew under President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with investments spanning artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies.
Sheikh Tahnoon oversaw assets reportedly worth $1.5 trillion for the Al Nahyan family.
The Al Saud family of Saudi Arabia followed with an estimated fortune of $213.6 billion, largely tied to Saudi Aramco.
A significant share of the Al Saud family's wealth was concentrated among senior royals, including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Al Thani family of Qatar, with a net worth of $199.5 billion, offered a luxury Boeing 747 to the Trump administration for temporary use as Air Force One.
The Hermes family of Europe ranked among the top global dynasties with a net worth of $184.5 billion, retaining control of the luxury house known for the Birkin handbag.
The Koch family of the US was estimated to be worth $150.5 billion through its ownership of Koch Industries, which operates in sectors ranging from chemicals and oil refining to paper and ranching.
The Mars family, owners of Mars Inc., had a net worth of $143.4 billion and expanded through the 2025 purchase of snack maker Kellanova.
The Wertheimer family, owners of luxury fashion house Chanel, possessed a wealth of $85.6 billion, buoyed by continued demand for high-end goods.
The Thomson family of Canada, which controls Thomson Reuters, was worth $82.1 billion, with an empire dating back to the 1930s when Roy Thomson acquired his first radio station.

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Forbes Real-Time Billionaire List records 3,028 billionaires with combined net worth of $16.1 trillion. (Mid of December) ▼

Elon Musk leads the list with a net worth of $480.5 billion and is on track to become the first trillionaire.
Larry Page ranks second with a net worth of $262.2 billion, surpassing Larry Ellison.
Sergey Brin is fourth with a net worth of $243.1 billion, pushing Jeff Bezos to fifth place.
Nine of the top 10 billionaires are Americans, with Bernard Arnault of France being the sole exception.
Mukesh Ambani is India’s richest person with a net worth of $114 billion, ranking 16th globally.

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.

Arkin Gupta featured in Forbes 30 Under 30 list for financial innovation (Start of December) ▼

Arkin Gupta was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for his contributions to financial innovation and early-stage investment strategies.
Forbes highlighted his pioneering work in developing data-driven investment frameworks and his leadership in creating scalable financial products.
Gupta stated that this recognition reinforces the importance of democratizing access to smarter financial tools.

Hurun Research Institute Report: Mumbai Ranks Third, New Delhi Ninth Among Top Billionaire Cities Globally (Mid of November) ▼

New York tops the list with 119 billionaires.
London is second with 97 billionaires.
Mumbai secured third place with 92 billionaires.
According to a recent report by the Hurun Research Institute, shared by World of Statistics on social media platform X, the cities with the highest number of billionaires include New York, London, Mumbai, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Moscow, New Delhi, and San Francisco.
India’s capital, New Delhi, also made it to the global top ten, ranking ninth with 57 billionaires.

Gil Gerard died at 82

Key Updates:

Gil Gerard played television’s sci-fi hero William “Buck” Rogers in NBC’s “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.”
He died in hospice as a result of a rare, aggressive form of cancer.
He was featured in a number of other TV shows and movies, including starring roles in the 1982 TV movie “Hear No Evil” and the short-lived “Sidekicks” in 1986.

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German actor Udo Kier dies aged 81 (End of November) ▼

German actor Udo Kier has died at the age of 81.
His partner, artist Delbert McBride, announced that Kier died in hospital in Palm Springs, California, on Sunday morning.
No cause of death was given.
Kier starred in more than 250 films.
His breakout role was in the 1970 horror film 'Mark of the Devil'.
He played Baron von Frankenstein in 1973’s 'Flesh for Frankenstein' and Count Dracula in 1974’s 'Blood For Dracula'.
He collaborated with directors including Paul Morrissey, Andy Warhol, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Lars Von Trier, Gus Van Sant, and Dario Argento.
Notable films include 'Suspiria', 'My Own Private Idaho', 'Blade', 'Armageddon', and 'Melancholia'.
His final film was 'The Secret Agent', which premiered at Cannes.
Kier was born in Cologne, Germany, in 1944 in a hospital that was bombed shortly after his birth.

Frank Gehry, World-renowned Canadian-American Architect and Designer, Died (Start of December) ▼

Frank Gehry, a world-renowned Canadian-American architect and designer, died at the age of 96 after a short respiratory illness.
He was awarded the Pritzker Prize, which is described as the field’s top honour in architecture.
His other honours included the Royal Institute of British Architects gold medal, the Americans for the Arts lifetime achievement award, and the Companion of the Order of Canada.
Among his many masterpieces were the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain; The Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles; and Berlin’s DZ Bank Building.
He also designed an expansion of Facebook’s Northern California headquarters.
Gehry founded the architectural firm Gehry Partners LLP in 1962.
He designed the InterActiveCorp (IAC) Building in New York City and the New York By Gehry building.
He joined the faculty of the University of Southern California as a professor of architecture and also taught at Yale and Columbia University.
Born Ephraim Owen Goldberg in Toronto on February 28, 1929, he later became a US citizen and changed his name.
The Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum in Abu Dhabi is expected to be completed in 2026.

DNA pioneer James Watson dies at 97 (Start of November) ▼

Nobel Prize-winning American scientist James Watson, co-discoverer of the double-helix structure of DNA, has died aged 97.
Watson shared the 1962 Nobel Prize with Maurice Wilkins and Francis Crick for the DNA double-helix structure discovery.
He had to resign as chancellor of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory after making controversial comments linking race and intelligence.

Nobel laureate Chen Ning Yang dies aged 103 (End of October) ▼

Chen Ning Yang, Nobel laureate and one of the world's most influential physicists, has died at the age of 103
Yang and fellow theoretical physicist Lee Tsung-Dao were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1957 for their work in parity laws
Yang was a professor at Beijing's Tsinghua University and an honorary dean of the Institute for Advanced Study at the institution

Nicholas Hum, Australian Paralympic bronze-medallist long jumper, passes away

[Australia]

Key Updates:

Nicholas Hum, a Paralympic bronze-medallist long jumper, passed away at the age of 32.
Australian Athletics confirmed his death on social media.
Hum competed in three Paralympic Games and five World Para Athletics Championships.
He held the Australian long jump T20 record at 7.39 meters.
He retired from competitive athletics just over a year before his death.

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1972 Olympic hockey bronze medallist Manuel Frederick passes away (Start of November) ▼

Manuel Frederick was the first athlete from Kerala to win an Olympic medal.
He helped the Indian hockey team clinch bronze at the 1972 Munich Games.
He was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games in 2019.

Manuel Frederick, 1972 hockey Olympic bronze medallist, passes away (Start of November) ▼

Manuel Frederick, a former Indian hockey goalkeeper and 1972 hockey Olympic bronze medallist, passed away in Bengaluru on Friday at the age of 78.
Frederick was the first athlete from Kerala to win an Olympic medal, after he helped the Indian hockey team win a bronze at the 1972 Munich games.
In 2019, Frederick was awarded the Major Dhyan Chand Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sports and Games.
He made his India debut in 1971 and served the national team with distinction for seven years.
Frederick guarded the goal in two World Cups: Netherlands 1973, where India won silver, and Argentina 1978.
He was known affectionately as ‘Tiger’ for his fearless and instinctive goalkeeping.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone wins 400m at 2025 World Athletics Championships (End of September) ▼

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the women’s 400m at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo with a time of 47.78 seconds.
Her 47.78-second run is the second-fastest 400m time in world history, behind Marita Koch’s 47.60-second world record set in 1985.
This victory marks McLaughlin-Levrone’s fourth world title and her first in the 400m flat event, making her the first person to win world titles in both the 400m hurdles and the 400m.

Charles Coste, World's Oldest Olympic Champion, Dies at 101 (Start of November) ▼

Charles Coste, known as the world's oldest Olympic champion, died at the age of 101.
He was a gold medallist in the team pursuit cycling event at the London 1948 Olympic Games.
Coste was chosen as the penultimate torchbearer at the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
He died on Thursday, October 30.
Coste won the Olympic title for France in the men's team pursuit event at the 1948 Olympic Games in London, alongside his teammates Serge Blusson, Fernand Decanali, and Pierre Adam.
He had been the oldest living Olympic champion since the death of Hungarian gymnast Ágnes Keleti in January 2025.
Born in Ollioules, in the Var region, on February 8, 1924, he was also the French national pursuit champion in 1947.
He received the insignia of Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur in 2022.

Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Param Vir Dirgha

Key Updates:

President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated the Param Vir Dirgha, a gallery at Rashtrapati Bhavan dedicated to the recipients of the Param Vir Chakra.
The gallery features portraits of all 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, commemorating their exceptional acts of valour, courage, and self-sacrifice during war.
The Param Vir Dirgha replaces colonial-era displays of British Aides-de-camp (ADCs) that were previously housed in the corridors of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The inauguration was held on Vijay Diwas, an occasion observed on December 16 to commemorate India’s victory in the 1971 war and the liberation of Bangladesh.
President Droupadi Murmu stated that Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s strength, discipline, and deterrence to the world.

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Droupadi Murmu attended Ol Chiki script centenary and NIT-Jamshedpur convocation (Mid of December) ▼

President Droupadi Murmu visited Jamshedpur and Adityapur to attend the centenary year programme of the discovery of Ol Chiki script at Disom Jaher, Karandih.
She delivered a speech on the concluding day of the week-long seminar on the promotion of Santhali script.
Murmu participated in the 15th convocation of National Institute of Technology (NIT-Jamshedpur) and awarded gold medals and degrees to graduating students.

Vice-President releases commemorative stamp honouring Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II in New Delhi (Mid of December) ▼

Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II, also called Suvaran Maran, was a 7th-8th century feudatory of the Pallavas who ruled central Tamil Nadu from Tiruchirappalli.
The Mutharaiyar dynasty built cave and structural temples, expanded irrigation and patronised Shaivite scholars, leaving inscriptions across Thanjavur, Pudukkottai and Perambalur districts.
The stamp release fulfils a long-standing demand of Tamil Nadu’s Mutharaiyar community and is part of the Centre’s drive to honour pre-Islamic Indian rulers from SC/ST/OBC backgrounds.

Meri Yojana Portal Launched to Facilitate Citizen Access to Welfare Schemes (Mid of December) ▼

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the 'Meri Yojana' portal to make welfare schemes more accessible.
The Programme Implementation Department released 'Meri Yojana' books detailing central and state government programs.
The state government is focused on simplifying processes to deliver social welfare benefits swiftly and effectively.

President Droupadi Murmu makes history with Sabarimala visit (End of October) ▼

President Droupadi Murmu made a historic visit to the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala on Wednesday, becoming the first woman head of state to offer prayers at the renowned hilltop shrine.
She is only the second President of India to visit the temple; former President VV Giri had previously visited in the 1970s.
The President's visit is symbolically significant, coming years after a landmark 2018 Supreme Court ruling that overturned a traditional ban on women of menstruating age (10-50) entering the temple.
She is 67.
In doing so, she became the first President ever to carry the Irumudi and bow before Lord Ayyappa.

Elon Musk became first person to reach net worth of 600 billion dollars

Key Updates:

Elon Musk holds an estimated 42 per cent stake in SpaceX.
SpaceX could go public with a valuation of 800 billion dollars.
SpaceX is expected to go public next year.
Musk’s 12 per cent stake in Tesla is currently worth 197 billion dollars.
Tesla shareholders approved a 1 trillion dollar compensation plan for Musk.

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OpenAI Targets $1 Trillion Valuation in Potential IPO (End of October) ▼

Artificial intelligence startup OpenAI is preparing to file for an initial public offering as soon as next year.
The IPO could give the company a market capitalization of $1 trillion.
The company is considering filing paperwork with regulators as soon as the second half of 2026.

Forbes Real-Time Billionaire List records 3,028 billionaires with combined net worth of $16.1 trillion. (Mid of December) ▼

Elon Musk leads the list with a net worth of $480.5 billion and is on track to become the first trillionaire.
Larry Page ranks second with a net worth of $262.2 billion, surpassing Larry Ellison.
Sergey Brin is fourth with a net worth of $243.1 billion, pushing Jeff Bezos to fifth place.
Nine of the top 10 billionaires are Americans, with Bernard Arnault of France being the sole exception.
Mukesh Ambani is India’s richest person with a net worth of $114 billion, ranking 16th globally.

Apple Reaches $4 Trillion Market Cap; Nvidia Nears $5 Trillion (End of October) ▼

Apple briefly surpassed a $4 trillion market value on Tuesday, ending the trading day at $3.99 trillion.
Nvidia's market valuation reached $4.88 trillion as of Tuesday's close.
Microsoft's market value stood at $4.03 trillion on Tuesday, driven by news that its stake in OpenAI would be worth $135 billion.
Apple has gained 7.5% in 2025, compared to Nvidia’s 50%, Alphabet’s 42%, and Meta Platforms’ 28%.
The S&P 500 has risen 18% for the year.
Wall Street analysts expect Apple to report more than $100 billion in quarterly revenue when it reports earnings on Thursday.

US Business News Staff Highlights Record Surge in Inherited Billionaires (Start of December) ▼

Over the past year, 91 heirs collectively received $298 billion in wealth transfers, marking the largest surge since records began in 2015.
The $298 billion transferred in 2025 represents a more than 30% increase from the previous year.
Nearly 200 individuals joined the billionaire ranks through entrepreneurial efforts in the past year, collectively adding over $380 billion in wealth.
Billionaires collectively now hold $15.8 trillion in wealth, which exceeds the combined GDP of several major economies.
An estimated $5.9 trillion is expected to be transferred within billionaire families over the next 15 years.

Sai Jadhav became the first woman officer to graduate from the Indian Military Academy (IMA)

Key Updates:

At 23, Lieutenant Sai Jadhav became the first woman officer to pass out of the Indian Military Academy (IMA) in Dehradun.
She was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Territorial Army, becoming the first woman officer from the IMA to join the branch.
Jadhav became the fourth generation of her family to serve in the military, following her great-grandfather, grandfather, and father, Sandeep Jadhav.
She completed six months of intensive training at the IMA, which has commissioned more than 67,000 officers since its inception in 1932.
Her schooling began in the Belgaum district of Karnataka and continued across several states.
She entered the IMA after receiving special permission and clearing a national-level exam followed by the Service Selection Board.
Her parents pinned the rank stars on her shoulders during the passing out parade.
Currently, eight women officer cadets were undergoing training in the Indian Army as part of the first batch selected through the National Defence Academy 2022 intake.

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Dr Tessy Thomas honoured with eighth Paulos Mar Gregorios Award (Start of December) ▼

Dr Tessy Thomas held the position of Director General (Aeronautical Systems), Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO).
Dr Tessy Thomas was Vice-Chancellor of Noorul Islam Centre for Higher Education.
Dr Tessy Thomas served as Project Director for the Agni-IV ballistic missile at DRDO.
The award recognises her outstanding contribution in women empowerment, space and missile technology.
Dr Tessy Thomas was mentored by former President and Director General, DRDO, APJ Abdul Kalam.

Sainik Tujhe Salaam Initiative to Honour Army Veterans and Veer Naris (Start of December) ▼

The Assam government launched 'Sainik Tujhe Salaam' to honour Armed Forces veterans above the age of 90, Veer Naris, and Veer Mothers.
The state is home to around 41,968 ex-servicemen and 10,361 Veer Naris.
The directorate of sainik welfare and 21 district sainik welfare offices support the veteran community year-round.

Breaking Barriers: BSF Initiates All-Women Drone Squadron (Mid of November) ▼

The Border Security Force BSF is taking a significant step towards empowering women in its ranks with the creation of the Durga Drone Squadron, an all-women unit specializing in drone operations.
Under the guidance of ADG Shamsher Singh, the squadron will bolster border security by engaging female personnel in advanced drone training at the BSF Academy's School of Drone Warfare in Gwalior.
This initiative is part of a wider effort to harness the unique strengths of women, such as patience and precision, while providing them with modern technological skills crucial for effective border management.

Lt Col Roopa A and Lt Col Dilna K won CNN-News18's Youth Icon Award (End of November) ▼

Lt Col Roopa A and Lt Col Dilna K received the CNN-News18 Youth Icon Award.
They were honored for completing a historic circumnavigation as the first Indian duo to sail around the globe in double-handed mode aboard INSV Tarini under the Navika Sagar Parikarma II mission.
They completed a nearly 250-day voyage aboard INSV Tarini, covering 25,400 nautical miles (50,000 km), crossing four continents, three oceans, and three Great Capes.
They are the first Indian duo to circumnavigate the globe in double-handed mode.
The 15th edition of the CNN-News18 Indian of the Year was held on Friday, November 28.
Lt Col Dilna K hails from Kozhikode, Kerala, and was commissioned into the Indian Navy’s Logistics branch in June 2014, having excelled in national-level rifle shooting through the National Cadet Corps (NCC).
Lt Col Roopa A is from Pondicherry and joined the Indian Navy in June 2017, having previously pursued aeronautical engineering at Anna University and worked at the National Aerospace Laboratories in Bengaluru.

Prafulla Govinda Baruah passed away as Editor of The Assam Tribune.

Key Updates:

Prafulla Govinda Baruah died due to old age-related ailments at a Guwahati hospital.
He was the editor of The Assam Tribune, North East's oldest English daily.
He was a Padma Shri awardee and helmed the newspaper for decades.
He was the Chairman Emeritus of The Assam Tribune Group.

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman lays foundation for Swahid Kanaklata Barua State University in Assam (Start of November) ▼

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid the foundation stone for Swahid Kanaklata Barua State University.
The event took place at Gohpur, Assam.
The foundation stone was laid on November 8, Saturday.

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.

LNF Literary Award 2025 announced for Velamala Simmanna (End of November) ▼

Velamala Simmanna has been chosen for this year’s Lok Nayak Foundation’s literary award.
The award carries ₹2 lakh in cash and will be presented on January 18, 2026.
LNF literary awards are presented to eminent persons who have contributed to the promotion of Telugu language and literature.
The awards are presented every year on January 18 to commemorate the death anniversaries of former Chief Minister N. T. Rama Rao and noted poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan.

National Press Day observed on November 16 in India (Mid of November) ▼

National Press Day is observed on November 16 in India every year.
National Press Day is observed to honour the establishment of the Press Council of India (PCI).
The PCI was set up as an independent entity to ensure journalism is free from outside meddling in order to maintain its high ethical standards.
The establishment of the PCI came from the recommendations of the First Press Commission of 1956.
The PCI was then established a decade later, on November 16, 1966.
Newspapers like the Amrita Bazar Patrika, Kesari and Jugantar, played a crucial role in shaping public opinion against British rule.

Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) reduces mandatory annuity purchase to 20% for non-government NPS subscribers.

[Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA)]

Key Updates:

Non-government subscribers under All Citizen Model and Corporate NPS can now withdraw up to 80% of corpus as lump sum.
Mandatory annuity purchase requirement reduced from 40% to 20% of accumulated pension wealth.
For corpus up to ₹8 lakh, entire amount can be withdrawn as lump sum with annuity purchase optional up to 20%.
For corpus between ₹8 lakh and ₹12 lakh, lump sum withdrawal capped at ₹6 lakh with balance available for annuity or systematic unit withdrawal over six years.
For corpus above ₹12 lakh, minimum 20% must be used for annuity purchase while up to 80% can be withdrawn as lump sum.

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Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) Resignation Rules: Forfeiture of Assured Payout (Start of November) ▼

Scheme Name: Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) under National Pension System (NPS) for Central Government employees.
Forfeiture Rule: Resignation from service leads to forfeiture of the assured payout under UPS, unless the resignation is withdrawn in the public interest by the appointing authority. (Rule 15, Central Civil Services (Implementation of Unified Pension Scheme under the National Pension System) Rules, 2025)
Lump Sum Payment: The accumulated pension wealth in the individual corpus is payable as a lump sum, processed 90 days after the resignation takes effect.
Death Clause: If the subscriber dies within the 90-day period post-resignation, the accumulated pension wealth is paid to the legally wedded spouse or, if none, to legal heirs.

EPFO Constitutes Four-Member Committee for Cadre Restructuring (End of November) ▼

The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation has set up a four-member committee for cadre restructuring of the retirement fund body.
The committee, headed by BP Sharma, the former secretary of the department of personnel and training, will submit its report by March 31, 2026.
It will undertake a comprehensive review of the existing workload of EPFO, identify imbalances, overlaps and inefficiencies in the present workforce structure and evaluate the requirement for rationalisation, optimisation or augmentation of human resources in line with functional necessities.
The committee will benchmark the cadre structure of officers and employees of the central board and recommend appropriate restructuring measures to enhance efficiency, service delivery and institutional effectiveness, while ensuring that manpower deployment remains commensurate with the functional workload.
It will recommend a suitable framework for induction of officers on deputation from the central government and other public institutions for bringing in talent, best practices, and cross-sectoral expertise to EPFO.
The committee will also recommend a framework for EPFO officers and staff to go on deputation or exchange programmes to other organisations to facilitate exposure to new ideas, professional development, and adoption of innovative practices.

EPFO's Employee Enrollment Scheme 2025: Objectives and Provisions (Start of November) ▼

**Scheme Name:** "Employee Enrollment Scheme 2025"
**Rolled out by:** "Labour and employment minister Mansukh Mandaviya"
**Aim:** "aimed at encouraging employers to voluntarily declare and enrol eligible employees under the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation"
**Operational Date:** "Operational from November 1, 2025"
**Key Provision (Employer Contribution):** "employers will not be required to remit the employee’s share of contribution if not deducted earlier"
**Key Provision (Penal Damages):** "only nominal penal damages of Rs 100 will apply"
**Broader Goals:** "The scheme seeks to enhance workforce formalisation and promote ease of doing business"

Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Rates for Rabi 2025-26: Key Features and Budget (End of October) ▼

The Union Cabinet has approved Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for Rabi season 2025-26 on Phosphatic and Potassic fertilisers.
This decision, effective from October 1, 2025, aims to ensure affordable availability of key fertilisers like DAP and NPKS for farmers.
The estimated budgetary requirement for the Rabi 2025-26 season is Rs 37,952.29 crore.
Under the approved NBS rates, the subsidy has been fixed at Rs 43.02 per kg for Nitrogen (N), Rs 47.96 per kg for Phosphorous (P), Rs 2.38 per kg for Potash (K), and Rs 2.87 per kg for Sulphur (S) for the current Rabi season.
Under the NBS scheme, which has been in effect since April 1, 2010, the government provides subsidies on 28 grades of P&K fertilisers, including DAP, through fertiliser manufacturers and importers.

JP Morgan (JPM) to open Asia’s largest Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Mumbai

[JP Morgan (JPM)]

Key Updates:

JP Morgan (JPM) will establish Asia’s largest Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Mumbai.
The GCC will cover 2 million square feet in Powai, Mumbai.
The centre is expected to employ up to 30,000 professionals.
JP Morgan has leased nearly 1 million square feet of office space in India within the last two years.
India currently hosts the highest number of GCCs globally.

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Maharashtra Government and Brookfield Corporation plan Asia’s largest Global Capacity Centre with over $1 billion investment. (Mid of December) ▼

Maharashtra Government and Brookfield Corporation will build a 2 million square feet Global Capacity Centre.
The facility will employ 15,000 people directly and 30,000 people indirectly, totalling 45,000 jobs.
A Memorandum of Understanding for the project will be signed soon.
Maharashtra Government is in talks with FedEx to establish GCCs in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
Maharashtra aims to set up 400 GCCs across the state over the next five years, with Pune as a key growth hub.
Initial GCC regulations will focus on tier-1 cities like Mumbai and Pune before expanding to tier-2 cities.

Axis Bank Evolve Series in Kozhikode: MSMEs Driving India’s $10 Trillion Goal (Mid of November) ▼

Axis Bank hosted the 10th edition of its multi-city knowledge series Evolve in Kozhikode, themed “MSMEs Powering the $10 Trillion Economy.”
The event drew over 103 MSME promoters and founders to discuss pathways for India’s economy to expand from $4.1 trillion to $10 trillion by 2032.
Kerala has more than 7 lakh registered MSMEs, with nearly half led by women entrepreneurs.

India-Japan Joint Crediting Mechanism highlighted at COP30 as key to equitable climate action (End of November) ▼

India and Japan signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement in August this year
Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav stated that the JCM aligns with India’s Nationally Determined Contributions and long-term low-emission development strategy
Japan’s Environment Minister Hirotaka Ishihara announced that JCM now covers 31 partner countries with over 280 projects under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement

Google Pay and Axis Bank launch FLEX co-branded RuPay credit card with UPI link support.

[Google Pay, Axis Bank]

Key Updates:

Google Pay launched FLEX, a fully digital, UPI-powered co-branded credit card with Axis Bank built on the RuPay network.
Users can link the FLEX card to UPI accounts inside Google Pay and scan QR codes for credit-powered merchant payments.
The card offers instant cashbacks or rewards instead of monthly billing-cycle credits.
Eligible users can apply and receive a virtual card within minutes at zero cost directly inside the Google Pay app.
Google Pay introduced Pocket Money on the UPI Circle framework, letting parents set monthly spending limits up to ₹15,000 or approve each child transaction.
Google Pay now prompts customers to rate small merchants immediately after transactions to build unified customer ratings.
A GenAI-powered Ads tool within Google Pay for Business lets small merchants create, preview, and launch ad campaigns in minutes.

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Scapia Launches Add-On Credit Card with Federal Bank and Expands Ecosystem, India's Fintech Market Projected to Reach $180-200 Billion by 2030 (Start of November) ▼

Scapia introduced a first-of-its-kind Add-On Credit Card with Federal Bank.
Every purchase on Scapia Store offers 20% back in Scapia Coins.
Scapia is backed by investors such as Peak XV Partners, Elevation Capital, Z47, and 3STATE Capital.
India’s fintech market is on track to generate $180-200 billion in annual revenue by 2030.

Razorpay Becomes First Indian Payment Aggregator to Integrate Apple Pay for Global Transactions (Mid of September) ▼

Razorpay is the first Indian payment aggregator to integrate Apple Pay for global transactions.
During its two-week beta phase, Razorpay processed over 5,000 Apple Pay transactions with a 95% success rate.
Razorpay completed its reverse flip in May, shifting its parent company’s base from the United States back to India.
The fintech unicorn is valued at $8 billion and has raised approximately $742 million to date.

AU Small Finance Bank Launches AU KOSMO Credit Card; Reports Key Financials and Market Data (Mid of September) ▼

AU Small Finance Bank (AU SFB) has launched the AU KOSMO Credit Card in collaboration with Kiwi, a Credit on UPI platform.
The AU KOSMO Credit Card is built on the RuPay network and allows users to make credit payments via UPI at both online and offline merchants.
The card targets first-time credit users, including young professionals and tech-savvy consumers, and supports digital onboarding.
The AU KOSMO Credit Card carries no annual or renewal fees and offers features such as rewards on UPI payments and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver.
UPI P2M payments in India reached ₹7.2 lakh crore in August 2025, which was up 26% from the previous year.
RuPay’s share of the credit card market increased to nearly 12% in FY25, accounting for around 28% of all credit card transactions.
As of June 30, 2025, AU SFB reported a deposit base of ₹1.27 lakh crore and a loan portfolio of ₹1.17 lakh crore.

IDFC FIRST Bank launches entry-level credit card with zero forex markup and dual UPI-Mastercard access (Start of December) ▼

IDFC FIRST Bank launched the FIRST WOW! Black credit card, the country's first entry-level card with zero forex markup on international spends.
Customers receive two cards: a physical Mastercard and a virtual RuPay credit card for UPI use.
The card is available to individuals aged 18 or above by opening a fixed deposit of at least ₹20,000 with the bank.
Cash withdrawals from ATMs in India or abroad do not attract interest for up to 45 days, but incur a ₹199 withdrawal fee.
Users earn 4 reward points per ₹150 on everyday spends and 3 reward points per ₹150 on UPI payments above ₹2,000.
Travel bookings on the IDFC FIRST Bank app earn 50 bonus reward points per ₹150 on hotel bookings and 30 bonus reward points per ₹150 on flight bookings.
Each reward point is worth ₹0.50 when redeemed for travel on the app.
The card includes four domestic airport lounge visits a year and trip-cancellation cover of up to ₹10,000.
Other benefits include 25% off on one movie ticket a month (up to ₹100), a 1% fuel surcharge waiver up to ₹200 a month, roadside assistance worth ₹1,399 once a year, ₹2 lakh personal accident insurance, and lost-card liability cover up to ₹25,000.
The joining fee is ₹750 plus GST, with the same annual fee from the second year onward.
The annual fee is waived if yearly spending reaches ₹1.5 lakh.
Welcome benefits worth more than ₹5,000 include travel deals, dining and lifestyle offers, and 5% cashback up to ₹1,000 on the first EMI transaction within 30 days.

Union Minister for Home and Cooperation Amit Shah launches Sahakar Sarathi to digitally empower rural cooperative banks.

[Union Minister for Home and Cooperation]

Key Updates:

Sahakar Sarathi Private Limited is a shared-services technology platform designed to revolutionise India’s rural cooperative banking ecosystem.
The platform unveiled 14 digital products including Sahakar Setu, digiKCC, ePACS, Cooperative Governance Index and the World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan Portal.
Expert-as-a-Service modules launched under the platform are CISO Sarathi, Tax Sarathi, CBS Sarathi, Regulatory Compliance Sarathi and Shiksha Sarathi.
Additional services include AI-driven Cross Sell Sarathi, Campaign Sarathi, unified Collections Sarathi call-centre service and bank.in migration support.
NABARD–BCG report The Future of Rural Banking released, outlining a strategic roadmap to enhance rural credit and strengthen cooperative banking institutions.
Rural economy budget has grown 3.75 times since 2014, reflecting the government’s commitment to India’s villages.
Government targets 50 crore Indians participating in cooperatives, tripling their contribution to India’s GDP.

Similar / Past Coverage

Sahakar Sarathi Initiative Launches 13 New Services and Products for Cooperative Sector (Start of December) ▼

Union Home & Cooperation Minister Amit Shah launched over 13 new services and products under the ‘Sahakar Sarathi’ initiative.
New offerings include Digi KCC, Campaign Sarathi, Website Sarathi, Cooperative Governance Index, ePACS, the World’s Largest Grain Storage Application, Shiksha Sarathi and Sarathi Technology Forum.
The Ministry of Cooperation aims to establish a cooperative institution in every Panchayat, expand cooperative membership to more than 50 crore people and increase the sector’s contribution to GDP.

Amit Shah Launches Digital Apps for Urban Co-op Banks and Sets Expansion Targets (Mid of November) ▼

Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah launched two mobile applications — Sahakar Digi Pay and Sahakar Digi Loan — for urban cooperative banks.
The objective of these apps is to promote digital payment adoption, which is described as "essential for their survival in an increasingly cashless economy."
The government's efforts include professionalising urban cooperative banks (UCBs) and cooperative credit societies.
A target was set to onboard 1,500 urban cooperative banks to the digital platform within two years.
The minister set an ambitious target for NAFCUB — to establish at least one additional UCB in every town with a population exceeding two lakh within five years.
The federation (NAFCUB) was directed to convert successful cooperative credit societies into UCBs.
Since the formation of a separate cooperation ministry in 2021-22, the central government has undertaken several policy reforms to modernise the sector.
Model bylaws for Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) were framed, which all states adopted, enabling PACS to computerise and expand services.

South Indian Bank Launches 'SIB HER Account' Premium Savings for Women (Mid of November) ▼

South Indian Bank has launched a premium savings account exclusively for women, branded as SIB HER Account.
The account offers higher savings interest through an auto-sweep facility on balances above ₹1 lakh and unlimited ATM withdrawals.
It includes complimentary airport lounge access, free air accident insurance of ₹1 crore, and personal accident cover of ₹1 lakh.
Customers can access cancer care insurance of up to ₹25 lakh at discounted premiums and receive concessions on retail loans, including housing, vehicle and business loans designed for women.
The SIB HER Account is available to both domestic and NRI customers and allows women account holders to add up to three free family accounts.
Account holders receive a 50% waiver on locker rentals along with shopping, wellness and lifestyle offers.
The account requires a monthly balance of ₹50,000, which can be waived if customers maintain a fixed deposit of ₹1 lakh or achieve debit card spending of ₹50,000 in the prior month.

Union Government Initiatives for Cooperative Sector Empowerment and Digitalization (Mid of November) ▼

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurates Co-op Kumbh 2025 in New Delhi.
Co-op Kumbh 2025 is an International Conference on the Urban Cooperative Credit Sector.
The two-day conference is being jointly organised by the National Federation of Urban Co-operative Banks and Credit Societies (NAFCUB) and the Ministry of Cooperation.
The theme of the conference is Digitalising Dreams – Empowering Communities.
Mr Shah said the aim should be to establish an Urban Cooperative Bank in every town with a population of more than two lakh within five years.
Tribhuvan Cooperative University has been established to connect the younger generation with cooperatives and also to prepare professionals for the cooperative sector.
The Government of India has made model bylaws for Primary Agricultural Credit Societies PACS and these have been adopted by every state.
Sahakar DigiPay and Sahakar DigiLoan Apps, which have been launched, will enable even the smallest urban cooperative societies to join the new era of digital payments.

Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) records India unemployment rate at 4.7%

[Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI)]

Key Updates:

The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) published the November Periodic Labour Force Survey showing an unemployment rate of 4.7% for Indians aged 15 years and above.
Rural unemployment declined to 3.9% and urban unemployment to 6.5%.
Male unemployment dropped to 4.6% and female unemployment to 4.8%.
Labour Force Participation Rate reached 55.8%, the highest in the available monthly data.
Youth unemployment for ages 15-29 fell to 14.1% from 14.9% in October.

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National Statistics Office (NSO) shows industrial production growth at 14-month low of 0.4% in October (Start of December) ▼

Index of Industrial Production (IIP) rose an annual 0.4% in October.
IIP growth lower than upwardly revised 4.6% in September.
IIP growth below 3.7% recorded in October last year.
Manufacturing sector slowed to 1.8% in October.
Manufacturing growth 4.4% in October last year.
Electricity sector contracted 6.9% in October.
Electricity growth 2% in same month last year.
Mining sector fell 1.8% in October.
Mining expansion 0.9% in year ago period.
Capital goods sector rose 2.4% in October.
Capital goods expansion 5.4% in September.
Consumer durables segment fell 0.5% in October.
Consumer durables growth 10% in September.
Non-durables sector contracted 4.4% in October.
Non-durables decline 0.3% in September.

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.

India's Unemployment Rate Dips to 5.2% in Q2FY26, Youth Joblessness Edges Up (Mid of November) ▼

India's unemployment rate fell to 5.2% in the July-September period (Q2FY26) from 5.4% in the previous quarter.
The jobless rate in rural areas declined to 4.4% in Q2FY26 from 4.8% in Q1, while urban unemployment rose to 6.9% from 6.8% over the same period.
Youth unemployment (15-29) rose to 14.8% in Q2FY26 from 14.6% in Q1.
The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) quarterly bulletin, released by the ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MoSPI), covered 133,901 households and 564,828 people.
The labour force participation rate (LFPR) rose slightly to 55.1% in the July-September period from 55% in the quarter before, with female participation improving to 33.7% and male participation declining to 77.2%.
The worker population ratio, or employment rate, increased to 52.2% in Q2 compared with 52% in Q1.
By sector, agriculture employed 42.4% of the workforce, followed by the tertiary sector (33.5%), and secondary sector along with mining and quarrying (24.2%).

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.

State Bank of India (SBI) signs €150-million credit line with KfW for green energy projects

[State Bank of India (SBI)]

Key Updates:

State Bank of India (SBI) will sign a €150 million credit line with KfW, the German development bank, for financing climate-friendly energy generation projects.
The agreement is scheduled to be signed on December 16, 2025, at the KfW headquarters in Frankfurt.
SBI reported a 3% year-on-year increase in Net Interest Income (NII) to ₹42,985 crore for the quarter ended September.
The net profit of SBI for the September quarter increased by 10% year-on-year to ₹20,160 crore.
The shares of SBI have gained 21.91% in the past six months and 21.8% in the year so far.

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Bank of India and State Bank of India (SBI) sign MoU to establish Centre of Excellence for Strategic Leadership in Project Financing Across India (Start of December) ▼

Bank of India and State Bank of India (SBI) collaborate on co-financing, capacity building, and co-branded initiatives.
The MoU provides a framework for the two banks to collaborate on multiple fronts.
The partnership addresses structured project financing in infrastructure, energy, and industrial development sectors.
State Bank of India (SBI) offers retail banking, corporate banking, treasury operations, and international banking.
Bank of India focuses on corporate banking, project financing, and trade services.

City Union Bank Secures $50 Million from IFC for Green Financing (Start of November) ▼

City Union Bank Ltd. secured a $50 million commitment from International Finance Corporation (IFC).
International Finance Corporation (IFC) is a member of the World Bank Group.
The financing is aimed at supporting MSMEs in transitioning to energy-efficient and cost-effective solutions.
City Union Bank Ltd. is a private bank established in 1904.
This partnership will support India’s efforts to accelerate its transition to net-zero by 2070.
Kamakodi N is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of CUB.
Imad N. Fakhoury is the IFC Regional Division Director for South Asia.

ReNew Energy Global Secures $331 Million from ADB for Andhra Pradesh Clean Energy Project (Start of November) ▼

ReNew Energy Global Plc secured $331 million in debt from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
The funding is to support a clean energy project in Andhra Pradesh.
The $331 million is part of a $477 million financial package for the Andhra project.
The remaining $146 million of the financial package is to be arranged by ADB through other lenders.
The project integrates 837 MWp of wind and solar capacity with a 415 megawatt-hour (MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS).
The project is designed to deliver 300 MW of peak power and is expected to generate 1,641 GWh of clean energy annually.
The $331 million ADB debt package includes up to $291 million in local-currency financing from ADB's ordinary capital resources and up to $40 million from the ADB-administered Leading Asia's Private Infrastructure Fund 2 (LEAP 2).
ReNew has a clean energy portfolio of about 18.2 GW.

SBI bags 'World's Best Consumer Bank 2025' and 'Best Bank in India 2025' from Global Finance (Start of November) ▼

State Bank of India received the 'World's Best Consumer Bank 2025' and 'Best Bank in India 2025' awards from Global Finance, New York.
SBI serves 520 million customers and adds 65,000 new customers daily.
The bank's home loan portfolio has crossed Rs 8.5 lakh crore.
As of June 2025, SBI's deposit base is over Rs 54.73 lakh crore with a CASA ratio of 39.36 per cent and advances of more than Rs 42.54 lakh crore.
SBI commands a market share of 27.7 per cent in home loans and 19.03 per cent in auto loans.
The bank has 22,980 branches and 62,200 ATMs/ADWMs, along with over 76,800 BC outlets.
YONO, SBI's digital platform, has more than 9.04 crore registered users and witnessed 27.4 lakh new registrations in Q1FY26.
During Q1 FY26, SBI disbursed pre-approved personal loans worth Rs 1,791 crores through YONO.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) approves IPOs for Yashoda Healthcare and six other companies.

[Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi)]

Key Updates:

Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) granted IPO approval to seven companies: Yashoda Healthcare Services, Fusion CX, Orient Cables, Turtlemint Fintech Solutions, RSB Retail India, SFC Environmental Technologies, and Lohia Corp.
These companies approached Sebi between May and September and obtained its observations during December 8-12.
Market sources estimate the combined IPO proceeds to exceed Rs 6,000 crore.
Yashoda Healthcare Services filed draft papers in September through a confidential route; its IPO size is expected between Rs 3,000 crore and Rs 4,000 crore.
Fusion CX plans to raise Rs 1,000 crore via a fresh issue of Rs 600 crore and an offer for sale of Rs 400 crore.
Orient Cables India Ltd aims to mobilise Rs 700 crore through a fresh issue of Rs 320 crore and an offer for sale of Rs 380 crore.
SFC Environmental Technologies will raise Rs 150 crore through a fresh issue and an offer for sale of 1.23 crore shares.
Lohia Corp’s IPO will be entirely an offer for sale of 4.22 crore equity shares with no fresh issue component.
All seven companies will list their shares on BSE and NSE.

Similar / Past Coverage

Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) clears ICICI Prudential Asset Management and three others for IPO launch (Start of December) ▼

ICICI Prudential Asset Management's IPO will be entirely an offer for sale (OFS) worth ₹10,000 crore.
Prudential Corporation Holdings will sell 1.76 crore shares in the OFS.
ICICI Bank owns 51% of ICICI Prudential AMC; Prudential Corporation Holdings holds the remaining 49%.
Annu Projects' IPO comprises a fresh issue of 2.2 crore shares.
Technocraft Ventures will raise capital through a fresh issue of 95.05 lakh shares and an OFS of 23.76 lakh shares.
Powerica's IPO includes a fresh issue of ₹700 crore and an OFS of ₹700 crore.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) Introduces SWAGAT-FI Framework for Low Risk Foreign Investors (Start of December) ▼

Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) introduced the SWAGAT-FI framework for Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) and Foreign Venture Capital Investors (FVCIs) through two separate notifications dated December 1.
The new framework is named Single Window Automatic & Generalised Access for Trusted Foreign Investors (SWAGAT-FI).
SWAGAT-FI provides easier investment access to low risk foreign investors, enables a unified registration process, and reduces repeated compliance and documentation.
Sebi identified low risk foreign investors as government-owned funds, central banks, sovereign wealth funds, multilateral entities, highly regulated public retail funds, appropriately regulated insurance companies, and pension funds.
Sebi amended FPIs and FVCIs regulations, which will come into force on June 1, 2026.
Under the new framework, Sebi granted an option to SWAGAT-FIs applying for registration or already registered as FPIs to also register as FVCI without further documentation.
Registration under both FPI and FVCI regulations enables SWAGAT-FIs to invest in listed equity instruments and debt securities as FPI, and in unlisted Indian companies and startups as FVCI.
Sebi increased the periodicity for continuance of registration, including payment of fee and review of KYC documentation, to 10 years.
Sebi allowed retail schemes in International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs) with a resident Indian sponsor or manager to register as FPIs.
Sebi amended FPI Regulations to subject sponsor contributions to a maximum of 10 percent of the fund's corpus or assets under management for retail schemes.
As of June 30, 2025, India had 11,913 registered FPIs holding assets worth ₹80.83 lakh crore.
SWAGAT-FIs are estimated to contribute more than 70 percent of total FPIs' assets under custody.

1729 Capital gets RBI nod to raise Suryoday stake (End of November) ▼

RBI granted approval to foreign portfolio investor 1729 Capital to hold a total stake of 7.14% in Suryoday Small Finance Bank.
As of September 30, the foreign portfolio investor held a 3.81% stake in the bank.
The RBI clarified that prior consent will be required for any further increase in aggregate shareholding or voting rights.
If the aggregate shareholding falls below 5%, the investor will again need prior RBI approval to raise the holding to 5% or more.

Competition Commission of India (CCI) approves acquisition of ICICI Venture Funds Management Company Limited businesses by ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited. (End of November) ▼

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of certain businesses from ICICI Venture Funds Management Company Limited by ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited.
The Acquirer is a joint venture between ICICI Bank Limited and Prudential Corporation Holdings Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Prudential Plc.
Target Businesses include managing and/or sponsoring five SEBI-registered alternative investment funds and providing non-exclusive, non-binding advice to an identified offshore investment fund.

IDFC FIRST Bank launches zero-fee USD and EUR Global Savings Account for NRIs.

Key Updates:

IDFC FIRST Bank offers the IDFC FIRST Global Savings Account in USD and EUR through GIFT City, Gujarat for Non-Resident Indians.
Both the principal and the interest earned are freely and fully transferable to overseas bank account without any limits or restrictions.
The account allows holding funds in USD or EUR without conversion risk and with global flexibility.
Zero remittance fee is charged on transfers from the account.
Interest earned is TDS exempted for NRIs on the FIRST Global Savings Account and fixed deposits.
The USD Savings Account currently offers an attractive interest rate of 4.75%.
Monthly interest credit results in monthly compounding interest earning for customers.
Customers can book USD and Euro fixed deposits at attractive rates.
A single mobile banking app manages both NRI and GIFT City Global Savings accounts.
Integrated banking experience provides a single Relationship Manager for NRI and GIFT City banking needs.

Similar / Past Coverage

Wise launches mid-market rate Travel Card in India (Mid of December) ▼

Wise launched its multi-currency Travel Card in India.
India recorded 3.89 crore outbound departures in 2024.
Over 75,000 Indians joined the waitlist for the Wise Travel Card.
Indians spent nearly USD17 billion overseas last year, a steep increase from the USD3–4 billion annual average before FY22.
Traditional forex cards apply 2–4 per cent non-transparent margins on currency conversions.
These margins add INR4,000– INR8,000 in extra costs on a INR2 lakh transaction.
The Wise Travel Card supports more than 40 currencies.
The card works across 160+ countries on the Visa network.
Users receive free ATM withdrawals up to USD200 per month.
Beyond the USD200 limit, a fee of USD 1.40 plus 3.25 per cent applies for ATM withdrawals.
Wise is waiving its INR460 card issuance fee for new customers signing up before 10 February 2026.
The Wise Travel Card carries no annual, subscription, or inactivity fees.

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.

IDFC FIRST Bank launches entry-level credit card with zero forex markup and dual UPI-Mastercard access (Start of December) ▼

IDFC FIRST Bank launched the FIRST WOW! Black credit card, the country's first entry-level card with zero forex markup on international spends.
Customers receive two cards: a physical Mastercard and a virtual RuPay credit card for UPI use.
The card is available to individuals aged 18 or above by opening a fixed deposit of at least ₹20,000 with the bank.
Cash withdrawals from ATMs in India or abroad do not attract interest for up to 45 days, but incur a ₹199 withdrawal fee.
Users earn 4 reward points per ₹150 on everyday spends and 3 reward points per ₹150 on UPI payments above ₹2,000.
Travel bookings on the IDFC FIRST Bank app earn 50 bonus reward points per ₹150 on hotel bookings and 30 bonus reward points per ₹150 on flight bookings.
Each reward point is worth ₹0.50 when redeemed for travel on the app.
The card includes four domestic airport lounge visits a year and trip-cancellation cover of up to ₹10,000.
Other benefits include 25% off on one movie ticket a month (up to ₹100), a 1% fuel surcharge waiver up to ₹200 a month, roadside assistance worth ₹1,399 once a year, ₹2 lakh personal accident insurance, and lost-card liability cover up to ₹25,000.
The joining fee is ₹750 plus GST, with the same annual fee from the second year onward.
The annual fee is waived if yearly spending reaches ₹1.5 lakh.
Welcome benefits worth more than ₹5,000 include travel deals, dining and lifestyle offers, and 5% cashback up to ₹1,000 on the first EMI transaction within 30 days.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) grants Razorpay Payment Aggregator – Cross Border licence. (Start of December) ▼

Razorpay becomes one of a select cohort of fintechs authorised to facilitate both inward and outward cross-border payments with complete regulatory oversight.
Indian businesses can accept payments in over 130 currencies through cards, wallets, and local bank transfers, achieving 95% success rates on international transactions.
Global platforms can go live in India in real-time without setting up an India entity, accessing UPI, RuPay, EMIs, netbanking, and over 100 local methods via a single integration.

SabhaSaar AI Tool Provides Multilingual Meeting Summaries for Gram Panchayats

Key Updates:

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.

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Bhartiya Bhasha Utsav 2025 celebrated with theme Many Languages, One Emotion (Mid of December) ▼

Bhartiya Bhasha Utsav 2025 was celebrated by the Ministry of Education at the National Bal Bhawan, New Delhi, marking the birth anniversary of Mahakavi Subramania Bharati.
The theme of the event was 'Many Languages, One Emotion'.
Adi Vaani, India's first AI-powered tribal language translator, was demonstrated live at the event.

National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA): Paperless Lawmaking under Digital India (Start of December) ▼

NeVA is a Mission Mode Project under the Digital India programme.
28 State and Union Territory Legislatures have signed MoUs for its adoption.
20 have already become fully digital Houses.
NeVA enables complete backend computerisation of Legislature Secretariat branches.
Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs provides ICT infrastructure, training and continuous technical handholding.
NeVA offers a unified digital architecture for all 37 State/UT Legislatures.
Bhashini-powered AI tools enable text translation, speech-to-text and voice-to-speech.

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.

IIM Udaipur Partners to Strengthen India's Data, Monitoring, and AI Ecosystem (End of September) ▼

The Indian Institute of Management Udaipur (IIMU) has entered into a series of landmark collaborations with leading national institutions to advance India's data, monitoring, and artificial intelligence ecosystem.
IIM Udaipur signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with MoSPI's Data Informatics & Innovation Division to serve as a Knowledge Partner for the Data Innovation Lab.
IIM Udaipur, through its Centre for Development Policy and Management (CDPM), signed a Joint Statement of Intent (SOI) with NITI Aayog's DMEO.
IIM Udaipur has also become an empanelled member under Anusandhan Mitra in collaboration with Bhashini, the National Language Translation Mission.
The MoSPI collaboration will engage students, researchers, and faculty in solving real-world statistical challenges, fostering innovative solutions, and promoting knowledge exchange in data analytics and applied statistics.
The NITI Aayog partnership focuses on advancing India's monitoring and evaluation ecosystem by adapting global best practices to the Indian context, developing toolkits and curricula, and conducting training programs for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers.
The Bhashini initiative aims to advance AI and ML for Indian languages by creating regional hubs, strengthening datasets for under-represented languages, fostering research in speech and language technologies, and building skills among students and researchers to co-develop innovative language solutions with local communities.

Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan: Sikkim opens Cho La and Dok La passes to promote border tourism

[Sikkim]

Key Updates:

Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang opened the strategic Cho La and Dok La passes at the India-China border under the battlefield tourism initiative on December 15.
The Centre's 'Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan' or battlefield tourism initiative seeks to open strategically significant border areas through regulated tourism to make the people aware of their historical importance.
The opening of Cho La and Dok La is aimed at strengthening border area tourism and creating livelihood opportunities for local communities.
The initiative is designed to create awareness of the valour and sacrifices of the armed forces and foster a sense of patriotism among the people.
The Sikkim Tourism Department, in coordination with the Indian Army and the Centre, has established basic facilities and a two-day tour package with homestays and fixed vehicle rates for tourists.

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J&K's Gondola Cable Car Project in Pahalgam: Objectives and Features (Start of November) ▼

**Project Name:** Gondola cable car project.
**Location:** "proposed 1.4km gondola project in Pahalgam" connecting "Yatri Niwas to Baisaran".
**Objective:** "aiming to revive tourism after a recent terrorist attack" and "promises to boost footfall and economic activity in south Kashmir’s hill circuit."
**Estimated Cost:** "estimated to cost Rs 120 crore, including land compensation."
**Funding Source:** "to be funded from JKCCC’s own resources."
**Implementing Agency:** J&K Cable Car Corporation (JKCCC).
**Current Status:** "halted since Pahalgam attack" and "site work has remained on hold pending security clearance."
**Related Initiative:** "govt is also exploring the installation of a ski drag lift at nearby Aru valley using existing foundations to promote winter tourism in the area."

India dedicates 125 Border Roads Organisation projects to strengthen border infrastructure (Start of December) ▼

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh dedicated 125 newly completed projects of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to the nation from Leh.
The projects — built at a cost of Rs 5,000 crore — comprise 28 roads, 93 bridges and four miscellaneous structures across Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Mizoram.
The event marked the largest single-day and highest-value inauguration in BRO history.
The 920-metre Shyok Tunnel on the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldi Road in Ladakh is highlighted as an engineering marvel providing all-weather connectivity to a critical military terrain.
Singh stated: "These infrastructure projects are the nation's tribute to those heroes who laid down their lives in the service of the nation."
He emphasised: "Enhanced road networks, real-time communication systems and satellite-based surveillance are now allowing Indian soldiers to operate with greater speed and precision in forward areas."
The defence minister noted that stronger border connectivity stabilises local economies, enhances disaster response and strengthens people’s faith in governance in remote regions.

India, Nepal Ink New Rail Transit Deal to Boost Multimodal Trade (Mid of November) ▼

India and Nepal signed a Letter of Exchange (LoE) amending the Protocol to the Treaty of Transit.
The agreement, exchanged during a bilateral meeting in New Delhi, will facilitate the movement of rail-based freight between Jogbani (India) and Biratnagar (Nepal), including bulk cargo under an expanded definition.
This liberalization extends to key transit corridors: Kolkata-Jogbani, Kolkata–Nautanwa (Sunauli), and Visakhapatnam–Nautanwa (Sunauli).
The Jogbani–Biratnagar rail link, constructed with grant assistance from the Government of India, was jointly inaugurated by the Prime Ministers of India and Nepal on 1 June 2023.

Modi Govt’s Tourism Boost Vision 2029: Development of 50 World-Class Destinations (End of October) ▼

The Government of India has unveiled an ambitious plan to develop 50 new destinations of global standards by 2029.
The vision is to create world-class experiences that reflect India’s rich heritage, diverse landscapes, and modern aspirations.
The initiative seeks to showcase India’s unparalleled cultural and natural wealth through destinations that meet international benchmarks, spanning from Kashmir valleys to Kerala backwaters, Gujarat coasts to Assam hills.
Each state and union territory has been asked to submit proposals within the next month, identifying potential sites for development.
Once approved, states will have three to four years to complete the transformation of these sites.
A uniform development framework, designed by the Centre, will guide these projects to ensure global standards of infrastructure, sustainability, and visitor engagement.
Every state and union territory is expected to have at least one flagship destination under the project, ensuring equitable representation and regional balance.
These sites are expected to draw global attention, drive employment, and give a significant push to local economies once complete.

National Energy Conservation Award 2025: Goa bags second prize in Category 4

[Goa]

Key Updates:

Goa was awarded the second prize in category 4 of the National Energy Conservation Award 2025 by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
The award was presented by President Droupadi Murmu in Delhi in the presence of Union power minister Manohar Lal and MoS (power) Shripad Naik.
The head of the state-designated agency in Goa responsible for energy conservation and efficiency activities, Mayur Hede, received the award.
The annual awards recognise outstanding achievements by states, Union territories, organisations, industries, and other entities in promoting energy efficiency, conservation, and sustainable practices.

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Miyana Railway Station Honoured with National Energy Conservation Award 2025 for Sustainable Innovation (Mid of December) ▼

Miyana Railway Station in Guna, Madhya Pradesh, was declared the Best Performing Unit in the Transport Category (Railway Station) by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
The station achieved measurable energy savings by transitioning to LED lighting, installing BLDC fans, and adopting smart lighting circuits operating at 30–70% mode based on passenger movement.
These interventions resulted in saving 9,687 units of electricity, contributing to lower operational costs and reduced carbon footprint.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary K Vijayanand announces State secures National Energy Conservation Award for fourth consecutive year (Mid of December) ▼

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.

National Energy Conservation Day observed on December 14 (Mid of December) ▼

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.

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.

Namrup-IV Ammonia-Urea Project: Rs 10,000 crore fertiliser plant to produce 12 lakh metric tonnes of urea annually

Key Updates:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone for the Namrup-IV Ammonia-Urea project at the existing Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited complex.
The brownfield fertiliser project involves an estimated investment of Rs 10,000 crore.
The Namrup-IV plant will produce 12 lakh metric tonnes of urea annually, meeting domestic demand and enabling exports.

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Uralchem JSC signs MoU with Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited, National Fertilizers Limited, and Indian Potash Limited to build major urea plant in Russia (Start of December) ▼

Uralchem JSC has signed a memorandum of understanding with Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Limited (RCF), National Fertilizers Limited (NFL), and Indian Potash Limited (IPL) to establish a joint venture for constructing a urea plant in Russia.
The planned urea plant is expected to have an annual production capacity of 1.8 to 2 million tonnes.
The joint venture will be based on the supply of ammonia produced by Togliattiazot JSC, with the Indian companies providing financing for the project until its commercial operation begins.
The signing ceremony took place in New Delhi, India.
Uralchem Group’s key assets include Uralchem JSC, Uralkali PJSC, and TOAZ JSC, all based in Russia, with a combined production capacity of around 25 million tonnes.

Assam Valley Fertilizer and Chemical Company Ltd (AVFCCL) incorporated on July 25, 2025 (End of November) ▼

Assam Valley Fertilizer and Chemical Company Ltd (AVFCCL) was incorporated on July 25, 2025.
The Assam government holds a 40% equity stake in AVFCCL.
AVFCCL is a strategic joint venture with central public sector undertakings including National Fertilizers Limited (NFL), Oil India Limited (OIL), Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Limited (HURL), and Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited (BVFCL).

Horticulture production up 4% to 369.05 mn tonne in 2024-25 (End of November) ▼

Horticulture production rose 4 percent to 369.05 million tonne in the crop year ended June 2025.
Fruit production increased by 5.12 percent to 118.76 million tonne.
Vegetable production increased by 4.09 percent to 215.68 million tonne.
Onion production rose to 30.78 million tonne in 2024-25 from 24.26 million tonne in the previous year.
Potato production increased marginally by 1.85 percent to 58.10 million tonne.
Tomato output is estimated at 19.46 million tonne for 2024-25.
Production of aromatic and medicinal plants increased to 7,81,000 tonne from 7,26,000 tonne last year.
Spice production is estimated at 12.50 million tonne.

Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) Rates for Rabi 2025-26: Key Features and Budget (End of October) ▼

The Union Cabinet has approved Nutrient Based Subsidy (NBS) rates for Rabi season 2025-26 on Phosphatic and Potassic fertilisers.
This decision, effective from October 1, 2025, aims to ensure affordable availability of key fertilisers like DAP and NPKS for farmers.
The estimated budgetary requirement for the Rabi 2025-26 season is Rs 37,952.29 crore.
Under the approved NBS rates, the subsidy has been fixed at Rs 43.02 per kg for Nitrogen (N), Rs 47.96 per kg for Phosphorous (P), Rs 2.38 per kg for Potash (K), and Rs 2.87 per kg for Sulphur (S) for the current Rabi season.
Under the NBS scheme, which has been in effect since April 1, 2010, the government provides subsidies on 28 grades of P&K fertilisers, including DAP, through fertiliser manufacturers and importers.

Deeksharambh Programme: Patriotism and Personality Development Initiative

Key Updates:

The Deeksharambh programme was launched under the guidance of the Vice-Chancellor of Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University (RPCAU).
The initiative focuses on instilling patriotism, discipline, and national pride among students while contributing to their overall personality development.
Academic leaders noted that the programme has emerged as a model for other universities seeking to embed civic values within campus life.

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Indian Army hosts Young Leaders Forum 'Veer Yuva' as pre-event to Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 (Start of November) ▼

Event Name: Young Leaders Forum (YLF) 'Veer Yuva' organised by Indian Army with CLAWS as pre-event to third edition of Chanakya Defence Dialogue (CDD) 2025
Venue: Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi
CDD 2025 Theme: 'Reform to Transform: Sashakt, Surakshit aur Viksit Bharat'
Key Speakers: Kiren Rijiju (Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs), General Upendra Dwivedi (Chief of the Army Staff), Tejasvi Surya (BJP MP)
Participation: Young leaders from military, academia, think tanks, entrepreneurship, research, NCC cadets, school students, industry partners, youth leaders from Armed Forces and CAPFs
Broadcast: Hybrid mode relayed live to Army training institutions, IITs, universities and professional nodes nationwide

National Integration Day observed on November 19 (End of November) ▼

National Integration Day is observed on November 19th.
The day commemorates the birth anniversary of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi.
Indira Gandhi was the first female prime minister of India.
The observance extends into a week-long ‘Qaumi Ekta’ [National Integration] week from November 19th to 25th.
The primary goal of National Integration Day is to foster a sense of unity, peace, and brotherhood among all citizens.
Activities like the Inter State Youth Exchange Programme (ISYEP) are conducted to encourage interaction among young people.

NaMo App launches Seva Parv 2025 to mark PM Modi’s birthday, highlights spirit of service (Mid of September) ▼

The NaMo App volunteers launched a 15-day digital volunteering initiative under Seva Parv 2025 to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.
The engagement runs till October 2, honouring PM Modi's lifelong commitment to the spirit of 'seva'.
Seva Parv 2025 offers nine interactive activities on the NaMo App related to service, learning, and sharing wishes.
'Sabka Saath, Sabki Seva' lets users choose from 15 predefined seva activities, upload selfies, and earn recognition on the Seva Leaderboard along with a personalised certificate.
The Virtual Exhibition 'Prime Minister Modi Seva hi sankalp, rashtrapratham hi prerna' presents interactive panels, videos, and a 'Modi Milestones Photobooth' for selfies against backdrops from PM Modi’s life.
The AI Shubhkamna Reel uses AI to generate personalised birthday videos for PM Modi based on user details such as name, profession, and availed government schemes.
'Discover Your Modi Trait' provides users a personalised trait card after a short quiz indicating which of PM Modi’s qualities they share.
'Know Your NaMo Quiz' comprises 10 questions on PM Modi’s life and leadership, allows multiple attempts, and offers downloadable certificates for perfect scores.
'Main Bhi Modi' collects user selfies performing seva to form a dynamic collage portrait of PM Modi symbolising unity through service.
The NaMo Book Collection section enables ordering books on PM Modi’s life authored by subject experts, either for oneself or as gifts.
NaMo Merchandise offers T-shirts, mugs, and caps featuring new PM Modi slogans, orderable directly through the app.
'World Wishes PM Modi' displays real-time birthday greetings from global leaders and dignitaries, collated within the app.

PM Modi marks Sardar Patel’s 150th birth anniversary with ₹150 coin, stamp and unity run (Start of November) ▼

India today observed Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the country’s first Home Minister and a key figure in integrating over 560 princely states into the Indian Union.
The day, celebrated annually on October 31 since 2014, highlights Patel’s role in strengthening national unity and reaffirms citizens’ commitment to the values of sovereignty and integrity.
On the eve of the anniversary, the Prime Minister released a commemorative ₹ 150 coin and a postage stamp in honour of Sardar Patel.
As part of the national observance, the “Run for Unity” was organised across the country.

Punjab Government notifies 'Holy City' status for three towns to ban liquor, meat, and tobacco

[Punjab]

Key Updates:

The Punjab government issued a formal notification declaring the walled city of Amritsar, Sri Anandpur Sahib, and Talwandi Sabo as "Holy Cities of the State of Punjab."
The notification directs that the government will "not to allow sale of liquor, tobacco and cigarettes, and meat within the precints of walled city and municipal limits of Sri Anandpur Sahib and Talwandi Sabo."
The state government will "allocate necessary budget, and also seek funds from the central government" for the development, cleanliness, security, and promotion of religious tourism in these cities.
The resolution for this status was passed on November 24 during a special session to mark the "350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur."
The three cities are home to three of the five ‘Takhts’ — "Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Amritsar), Sri Damdama Sahib (Talwandi Sabo) and Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib (Sri Anandpur Sahib)."

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Punjab Assembly Resolution Declares Anandpur Sahib, Talwandi Sabo and Golden Temple Area as Holy Cities (End of November) ▼

The Punjab Assembly unanimously passed a resolution declaring Anandpur Sahib in Rupnagar district, Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda and the Galiara area around the Golden Temple in Amritsar as holy cities.
There will be a complete ban on sale and consumption of liquor, meat and tobacco items at these places, according to the resolution.
The resolution was moved by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during a special session of the Punjab Assembly convened to mark the 350th martyrdom anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur.

Pollution Curbs Made Stricter Twice In A Day In Delhi (Mid of December) ▼

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.

Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2025 row: Chandigarh’s unique status, and why Punjab opposes proposed change (End of November) ▼

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2025 proposed to include Chandigarh under Article 240, which would pave the way for the city to get an independent administrator, altering its current status where the Governor of Punjab holds additional charge as its Administrator.
Chandigarh holds a unique status as a Union Territory and the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana, an arrangement established after Haryana was carved out under The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, with properties divided in a 60:40 ratio.
Punjab opposes the proposed change and stakes sole claim to Chandigarh because it was built as a replacement for Lahore, the united Punjab’s capital after Partition, and the Centre had announced in 1970 that the capital project area of Chandigarh should, as a whole, go to Punjab, a claim Punjab considers undisputed.

Supreme Court Directs Removal and Relocation of Stray Dogs and Animals from Public Premises and Highways (Start of November) ▼

The Supreme Court ruled that "the stray dogs removed should not be released back to their original locations and placed responsibility for their relocation on the respective municipal authorities."
The Supreme Court "put the onus of removing the strays on the respective jurisdictional municipal body or authority."
Stray dogs are to be removed "forthwith" from "educational institutions, hospitals, sports complexes, bus stands and depots, and railway stations" to "a designated shelter, after due sterilization and vaccination in accordance with the animal birth control rules."
The directive aims "to safeguard the fundamental right to life and safety of citizens, especially children, patients, and sportspersons, under Article 21 of the Constitution of India."
Administrative heads of institutions "shall, through their respective local or municipal authorities under the overall supervision of the district magistrate concerned, ensure that the premises are secured by adequate fencing, boundary walls, gates, and such other structural or administrative measures as may be necessary to prevent the ingress of stray dogs."
The management of every educational institution, hospital, sports complex, bus stand, and railway station is to "designate a nodal officer responsible for the upkeep and cleanliness of the premises and for ensuring that the stray dogs do not enter or inhabit the campus."
Municipal authorities, road and transport department, public works department of all states and UTs, and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are directed "to take a joint coordinated drive to identify stretches of highways and expressways where stray cattle or animals are frequently found and shall take immediate steps for their removal and relocation to designated shelters."
The cattle and other stray animals so picked up "shall be kept in appropriate shelters or Gaushalas or cattle pounds as the case may be and provided with all necessary food, water, and veterinary care in accordance with the provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Animal Birth Control Rules 2023."
The "directions shall be implemented uniformly across India and chief secretaries of all states, UTs, chairpersons of the NHAI, and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Union of India shall file status compliance certificates within a period of eight weeks."

RBI releases Handbook of Statistics on Indian States 2024-25 with 11 new data tables

[RBI]

Key Updates:

The Reserve Bank of India released the 10th edition of 'Handbook of Statistics on Indian States, 2024-25' disseminating wide-ranging data on regional economies.
The Handbook provides sub-national statistics on socio-demographics, health, state domestic product, agriculture, environment, prices, wages, industry, infrastructure, banking, fiscal and exports.
Eleven new tables added: State-wise Domestic Tourist Visits; Net State Value Added (current and constant prices); State-wise Status of Ground Water Extraction; State-wise Revenue Expenditure; State-wise Capital Receipts; Market Borrowings of State Governments; State-wise Gender-wise Subscribers of NPS All Citizen; State-wise Gender-wise Enrolments under APY; State-wise Exports; State-wise Foreign Tourist Visits.

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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.

India Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Ethiopia on December 16-17, 2025, to strengthen Brics and Global South ties

[Ethiopia]

Key Updates:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State visit to Ethiopia on December 16-17, 2025, signals India’s diplomatic engagement with Africa, the Global South, and the expanded Brics grouping.
India is scheduled to assume the chairmanship of Brics on January 1, 2026, with Ethiopia serving as an important member of the grouping.
Ethiopia officially joined Brics in January 2024, along with Egypt, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
India is currently Ethiopia’s second-largest trading partner, with total bilateral trade standing at $571.52 million during the 2023-24 financial year.
India has sanctioned more than $1 billion in lines of credit for Ethiopia to support projects in sectors such as rural electrification, the sugar industry, and railways.
Around 650 Indian companies have licensed investments exceeding $5 billion in Ethiopia, with approximately $3 billion estimated to have been realised on the ground.
The International Solar Alliance (ISA), a joint initiative between India and France, aims to mobilise $1 trillion in solar investments by 2030 while reducing technology and financing costs.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the visit will cover dimensions of India-Ethiopia ties, including parliamentary exchanges, development partnerships, and defence cooperation.

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Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali personally drives Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to hotel during State visit (Mid of December) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Addis Ababa for a two-day State visit to Ethiopia at the invitation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali personally received PM Modi at the airport and drove him to the hotel.
PM Modi was taken on an unscheduled visit to the Science Museum and Friendship Park by the Ethiopian leader.
PM Modi will hold detailed talks with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali covering all aspects of bilateral relations.
PM Modi is expected to address a joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament and meet the Indian diaspora.
Addis Ababa is the headquarters of the African Union, which was admitted as a permanent member of the G20 during India’s 2023 Presidency.

Ethiopia confers The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia on Prime Minister Narendra Modi (Mid of December) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with Ethiopia's highest award 'The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia' by his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali.
The award was conferred for his exceptional contribution towards strengthening India-Ethiopia partnership and for his visionary leadership as a global statesman.
Prime Minister Modi is the first global head of state/head of government to receive this award.

Italy Deputy PM Antonio Tajani arrives in New Delhi for second India visit this year (Mid of December) ▼

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, arrived in New Delhi on Wednesday for his second visit to India this year.
He will meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in New Delhi on Wednesday before proceeding to Mumbai for official engagements on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg and discussed expanding collaboration across trade, investment, defence, innovation, AI, space and education.
India and Italy announced a joint initiative to combat terror financing during the Modi-Meloni meeting.

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.

India and United Arab Emirates conduct second edition of Exercise Desert Cyclone in Abu Dhabi

[United Arab Emirates]

Key Updates:

Exercise Desert Cyclone-II is scheduled from December 18-30 in Abu Dhabi.
The Indian contingent comprises 45 personnel, primarily from a battalion of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment.
The UAE Land Forces contingent is represented by the 53 Mechanised Infantry Battalion.
The exercise focuses on sub-conventional operations under a United Nations mandate, including peacekeeping, counter-terrorism, and stability operations.
Tactical drills include fighting in built-up areas, heliborne operations, mission planning, and integration of UAS and counter-UAS techniques.

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India and Malaysia commence 5th edition of Harimau Shakti exercise in Rajasthan (Start of December) ▼

The fifth edition of the joint military exercise 'Harimau Shakti' is being held at Mahajan Field Firing Range from December 5-18.
The Indian contingent is represented mainly by troops from the Dogra Regiment.
The Malaysian side is represented by troops from the 25th Battalion Royal Malaysian Army.
The exercise aims to jointly rehearse conduct of sub-conventional operations under Chapter VII of United Nations mandate.
The scope includes synergising joint responses during counter-terrorist operations, cordon, search and destroy missions, and heliborne operations.
Army Martial Arts Routine, combat reflex shooting, and yoga are part of the exercise curriculum.
Both sides will rehearse drills to secure helipads and undertake casualty evacuation during counter-terrorist operations.

Indian Army conducts 'Amogh Fury' integrated firepower exercise in Rajasthan (End of September) ▼

Exercise Name: 'AMOGH FURY' Integrated Fire Power Exercise
Conducted by: Sapta Shakti Command of the Indian Army
Location: Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan’s Thar desert

Indian Army conducts 'Exercise Brahmashira' in Rann and Creek Sector under Tri-Service Exercise Trishul (Mid of November) ▼

Exercise Brahmashira held in Rann and Creek Sector as part of Tri-Service Exercise Trishul
Participants: Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, BSF, civil administration
Key features: Joint Task Forces, Joint Control Centre, multi-domain operations, Military-Civil Fusion
Exercise TRISHUL validates full-spectrum land-sea-air integration under mantra JAI - Jointness, Atmanirbharta, Innovation
Southern Command formations also conduct Exercises MaruJwala and Akhand Prahaar in Thar Desert for combined arms and joint fire integration

India improves to 9th in 30-year global Climate Risk Index, reporting 80,000 deaths and $170 bn loss (Mid of November) ▼

India’s long-term Climate Risk Index rank improved from 8th (1994-2023) to 9th (1995-2024), while its single-year rank improved from 10th in 2023 to 15th in 2024
Germanwatch environmental think-tank released the 2023 edition of the CRI report on the sidelines of COP30 in Belem
India recorded over 80,000 fatalities and nearly $170 billion in economic losses from 430 extreme weather events between 1995 and 2024
Cyclones Hudhud (2014) and Amphan (2020) and the 2013 Uttarakhand floods were specifically cited as high-impact events
Recurring heat waves with temperatures around 50 °C in 1998, 2002, 2003 and 2015 were highlighted as major climate-related mortality drivers

India and Jordan agree 8-point vision to lift bilateral trade to USD 5 billion in five years

[Jordan]

Key Updates:

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.

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India and Jordan sign five MoUs after PM Modi–King Abdullah II talks in Amman (Mid of December) ▼

India and Jordan signed five MoUs covering technical cooperation in new and renewable energy, water resources management, twinning of Petra and Ellora, renewal of the Cultural Exchange Programme 2025-2029, and cooperation on population-scale digital solutions.
PM Modi proposed raising India-Jordan bilateral trade to USD 5 billion over the next five years from the present USD 2.8 billion.
Both leaders reiterated their shared stand against terrorism, extremism and radicalisation.

India-Israel launch FTA negotiations in Tel Aviv (End of November) ▼

India and Israel signed Terms of Reference to begin Free Trade Agreement negotiations
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal and Israel’s Minister of Economy Nir Barkat co-chaired the India-Israel Business Summit themed 'Gateway to Growth' in Tel Aviv-Yafo
Proposed FTA plus the existing bilateral investment treaty aim to expand market access, capital flows, trade in goods and services, and remove business obstacles

India’s April-October 2025 exports up 4.84% YoY at US$ 491.80 billion; October trade deficit widens to US$ 21.80 billion (Mid of November) ▼

Cumulative exports (merchandise & services) April-October 2025: US$ 491.80 billion vs US$ 469.11 billion in April-October 2024, a 4.84% rise.
October 2025 total exports: Rs. 6,46,243 crore (US$ 72.89 billion), down 0.68% YoY; imports rose 14.87% to Rs. 8,39,610 crore (US$ 94.70 billion), yielding a trade deficit of Rs. 1,93,279 crore (US$ 21.80 billion).
October 2025 merchandise exports: Rs. 3,04,813 crore (US$ 34.38 billion); merchandise imports: Rs. 6,74,348 crore (US$ 76.06 billion).
October 2025 services exports estimated at Rs. 3,41,518 crore (US$ 38.52 billion), higher than the previous year.
Electronic goods exports October 2025 up 19.05% YoY; meat, dairy & poultry 30.87%; marine products 11.08%; cashew 126.85%; coffee 10.91%.
April-October 2025 merchandise exports: Rs. 22,54,181 crore (US$ 254.25 billion); services exports: Rs. 21,06,118 crore (US$ 237.55 billion).
Services exports growth April-October 2025: 9.75%.
April-October 2025 imports: Rs. 50,53,177 crore (US$ 569.95 billion), up 5.74% YoY.
Non-petroleum & non-gems & jewellery exports April-October 2025: Rs. 18,03,344 crore (US$ 203.40 billion).
Major export destinations with strong October 2025 growth: China, Spain, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Tanzania.

India-Canada agree to restart bilateral dialogue on trade, defence, critical minerals (End of September) ▼

Officials agreed to reactivate bilateral dialogue mechanisms across trade, defence, energy, civil nuclear, security, critical minerals, space, science & technology, and agriculture
Progress noted since June 2025 includes the return of High Commissioners to each other’s capitals
Both sides committed to constructively address capacity-related issues at their respective Missions and Consulates

United States orders total blockade on sanctioned Venezuelan oil tankers

[United States, Venezuela]

Key Updates:

Trump ordered 'a total and complete' blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
Venezuela's government denounced the move as 'warmongering threats'.
The US has seized an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast and conducted deadly strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats.
More than 30 of the 80 ships in Venezuelan waters or approaching the country were under US sanctions.
Trump wrote that Venezuela was 'completely surrounded by the largest Armada ever assembled in the History of South America'.

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Venezuela’s National Guard Linked to Killings, Torture and Repression, UN Probe Finds on 11 December 2025 (Mid of December) ▼

Venezuela’s Bolivarian National Guard (GNB) has been implicated in a decade-long pattern of killings, arbitrary detentions, torture and sexual violence targeting protesters and opponents of President Nicolás Maduro.
The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission says the GNB has played a central role in systematic repression since 2014.
The GNB used excessive force, including the improper use of lethal weapons, during peak periods of protest in 2014, 2017, 2019, and 2024.
Investigators documented mass and targeted arbitrary detentions, physical violence during arrests, planting of evidence, torture, and sexual and gender-based violence inside GNB facilities.
The report found the GNB was a central actor in the commission of persecution on political grounds, which is a crime against humanity.
The military force also played a key role in the 2024 post-election “Operation Tun Tun” raids.
The report identifies a pattern of structural impunity sustained by systemic failures within the Venezuelan judicial system.
The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela was established by the UN Human Rights Council in September 2019.
The Mission has also focused on investigating the human rights situation surrounding the disputed 2024 presidential elections and on violence by pro-government militias known as “colectivos”.

European Allies Shift to Radical Use of Frozen Russian Central Bank Assets After United States Halts Funding for Ukraine (Mid of December) ▼

Western nations agonized for years over how they might use Russian central bank assets deposited abroad to support Ukraine’s military and rebuild its shattered economy.
Many European officials were skeptical, concerned that doing so could amount to illegal expropriation.
Now that President Donald Trump has cut US funding for the government in Kyiv, Ukraine’s European allies have put aside those reservations and become more radical in their approach.

Canada removes Syria and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham from terrorism lists (Start of December) ▼

Canada's foreign ministry announced it was revoking the 'terrorist' designation for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Canada cited efforts by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government to 'advance Syria’s stability'.
The ministry stated the decisions were 'not taken lightly' and align with recent moves by the United Kingdom and the United States.
Canada had listed Syria as a 'state supporter of terrorism' in 2012.
The US partially suspended sanctions against Syria in June and extended the suspension in November after talks between al-Sharaa and Donald Trump.
The US also removed al-Sharaa from the 'specially designated global terrorist' list prior to the White House meeting.

US to hold five-day military drills in Trinidad and Tobago amid tensions with Venezuela (Mid of November) ▼

The United States will hold five-day military drills in Trinidad and Tobago.
The drills will involve the US Marine Corps’ 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit.
The exercises are being held amid tensions with Venezuela and criticism from Nicolás Maduro.
The US Marine Corps’ 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is stationed in the Caribbean as part of what Washington describes as a mission to “disrupt illicit drug trafficking.”
Trinidad and Tobago’s government said the exercises will help both forces better understand each other’s tactics and operations, while also allowing American troops to train local security personnel to respond to domestic threats such as drug crimes and gang activity.
Washington sent a warship, the USS Gravely, to the country’s capital last month.
The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is moving closer to Venezuelan waters.

India Reaffirms Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam at 11th United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) Forum in Riyadh on December 14-15, 2025

[United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), Riyadh]

Key Updates:

India reaffirmed its commitment to the ideals of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam and religious harmony at the 11th United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) forum.
The Indian delegation was led by P Kumaran, Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The forum was hosted by Saudi Arabia in Riyadh from December 14 to 15, 2025.
The Indian representative highlighted the nation's civilizational heritage and the long-standing belief in Sarva Dharma Samabhav, which stresses equal respect for all faiths.
The gathering marked two decades of the UNAOC and brought together political leaders, religious representatives, civil society, youth, and media to address global divisions.

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International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP) receives 2025 United Nations Population Award (Start of December) ▼

United Nations Population Fund India (UNFPA India) honored International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP) for receipt of the 2025 United Nations Population Award during the 46th Annual Conference of the Indian Association for the Study of Population.
Shireen Jejeebhoy is President of IUSSP.
Andrea M Wojnar is Representative of UNFPA India.
The conference theme is 'People, Planet, Prosperity.'

Vigyanika: Science Literature Festival 2025 spotlights multilingual science communication for Atmanirbhar Bharat (Mid of December) ▼

CSIR–National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research (CSIR–NIScPR), Vijnana Bharti (VIBHA), Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and Panjab University organised Vigyanika as part of India International Science Festival (IISF) 2025.
Session ‘Vigyan Se Samruddhi – For Atmanirbhar Bharat’ focused on ‘traditional knowledge communication and its role in advancing national self-reliance’.
Dr. Viswajanani J. Sattigeri, Head, CSIR-TKDL, emphasized ‘the importance of documenting, disseminating and implementing policy for traditional knowledge’.

India Hosts 20th Session of UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee on Intangible Cultural Heritage at Red Fort, New Delhi (Mid of December) ▼

India is hosting the 20th Session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) at the historical Red Fort complex in New Delhi.
The session is being held from 8 to 13 December 2025.
The inaugural session of ICH was held on 7th December and was graced by Hon'ble Minister of External Affairs, Dr S. Jaishankar; Hon'ble Minister of Culture & Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat; Director General UNESCO, Khaled El-Enany; Hon'ble Chief Minister of Delhi, Smt. Rekha Gupta; Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Shri Vivek Aggarwal; Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO, Shri Vishal V. Sharma; and Chairperson, Sangeet Natak Akademi, Ms Sandhya Purecha.
Delegations from over 180 countries are attending the event.
The Ministry of Culture, along with its autonomous body, Sangeet Natak Akademi, is the nodal agency for hosting the ICH Session in India.

'Resilience can't be built in silos': PM Modi proposes critical minerals, satellite data initiatives at G20 (End of November) ▼

PM Modi proposed a G20 initiative to enhance clean energy transitions by boosting recycling, easing supply chain pressures, and advancing joint research on critical minerals.
He suggested forging a partnership to make satellite data more accessible and interoperable, proposing the G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership to make G20 space agencies' data available to developing countries for various activities.
Modi emphasized strengthening global cooperation to deal with natural disasters, stating that 'resilience cannot be built in silos' and advocating for greater collaboration.
He called for the G20 to promote comprehensive strategies linking nutrition, public health, sustainable agriculture, and disaster preparedness to build a stronger global security system.
India established the Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group during its G20 Presidency and advocates for a 'development-centric' approach to disaster resilience, which is India's vision behind setting up the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
India proposed a G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative to promote recycling, urban mining, second-life batteries, and related innovations, aiming to strengthen clean energy transitions and supply chain security.
During the New Delhi G20 Summit, a resolution was made to triple renewable energy and double the energy efficiency rate by 2030, requiring developed countries to fulfill their commitments to provide affordable climate finance and technology.
Modi highlighted the Deccan Principles on Food Security adopted during India's presidency as a basis for creating a G20 roadmap on food security and called for greater collective action on the climate agenda to strengthen food security.
He sought a greater voice for the Global South in global governance structures, noting that the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of G20 in the New Delhi Summit was a major step forward that must be taken beyond G20.
A declaration adopted at the G20 Leaders' Summit underlined solidarity, equality, and sustainability as key pillars of inclusive growth, also prominently mentioning energy security, climate action, and disaster resilience and response.
G20 members comprise the world's major economies, representing 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world's population.
South Africa is hosting the G20 Summit, marking the first time it is held on the African continent and the fourth consecutive summit of the grouping to be held in the Global South, following Brazil (2024), India (2023), and Indonesia (2022).

Canada implements Bill C-3 citizenship changes for 'Lost Canadians'

[Canada]

Key Updates:

Bill C-3 became law last month and the new rules took effect on Monday, Dec. 15.
Citizenship can now be passed down to children born or adopted abroad beyond the first generation if the Canadian parent spent at least three cumulative years in Canada before the child’s birth or adoption.
Children born outside Canada before Dec. 15 who are second generation or later will be granted automatic Canadian citizenship.
Those adopted before Dec. 15 can now apply for citizenship under the new rules.
The 2009 first-generation limit was deemed unconstitutional by the Ontario Superior Court in December 2023; the Liberal government did not appeal.
Intercountry adoptees remain subject to the three-year 'substantial connection' test, a point critics argue violates the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.

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Supreme Court clarifies EC inquiry powers on voter citizenship (Start of December) ▼

The Supreme Court stated: 'EC does not claim that it has the power to determine citizenship of a person or declare him as a foreigner. But, if it has doubts about the citizenship of a person registered as a voter or seeking inclusion of name as a voter, it can surely inquire into it.'
The Court emphasized: 'The first and foremost pre-condition for inclusion as a voter is that he/she must be a citizen of India.'
The bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi added: 'Given the constitutional and statutory powers conferred on EC, can it not undertake an inquisitorial exercise to find out who are doubtful citizens? That is included in the constitutional task of superintendence of elections.'

Canada removes Syria and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham from terrorism lists (Start of December) ▼

Canada's foreign ministry announced it was revoking the 'terrorist' designation for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Canada cited efforts by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government to 'advance Syria’s stability'.
The ministry stated the decisions were 'not taken lightly' and align with recent moves by the United Kingdom and the United States.
Canada had listed Syria as a 'state supporter of terrorism' in 2012.
The US partially suspended sanctions against Syria in June and extended the suspension in November after talks between al-Sharaa and Donald Trump.
The US also removed al-Sharaa from the 'specially designated global terrorist' list prior to the White House meeting.

Saudi Arabia Abolishes Kafala System, Grants New Rights to Migrant Workers (End of October) ▼

Saudi Arabia has officially dismantled its 50-year-old Kafala system, a labor sponsorship framework that tied migrant workers to employers.
This groundbreaking reform, effective June 2025, impacts approximately 13 million foreign workers.
The new system allows migrant workers to change employers without needing their current employer’s approval, leave the country without an exit visa, and access vital legal protections.
The Kafala system, Arabic for 'sponsorship,' emerged in the Gulf states around the 1950s.
The reform is part of Saudi Arabia's broader Vision 2030 initiative.

UK-France 'One In, One Out' Migrant Exchange Deal Sees First Removals (End of September) ▼

The UK and France have agreed a year-long scheme of exchanges of migrants to deter small boat crossings, known as the 'one in, one out' deal.
Under the scheme, for each migrant the UK returns to France, another migrant with a strong case for asylum in the UK will be allowed to come in return.
An Eritrean man, an Iranian male, and an Indian national have been returned to France under the scheme.
A judge, Mr Justice Sheldon, ruled that France was a safe country abiding by the same safeguards as the UK under the European Convention of Human Rights, allowing the removal flights.

Argentina and India strengthen agricultural research cooperation through ICAR-INTA Work Plan 2025-2027

[Argentina]

Key Updates:

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA), Argentina, have signed a Work Plan 2025-2027 to strengthen bilateral cooperation in agricultural research, capacity building, and technology exchange.
The Work Plan establishes collaboration across natural resource management, sustainable agronomy including zero tillage, mechanisation, micro-irrigation and fertigation, crop and animal biotechnology, livestock improvement, production technologies for temperate and tropical crops, digital agriculture, biosafety and phytosanitary measures, and value chain development.
Implementation will be through joint research, germplasm exchange, expert engagements, and structured training and study visits.
Germplasm exchange will include soybean, sunflower, maize, blueberry, citrus, wild papaya species, guava, and select vegetable crops.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the India–Argentina scientific partnership and agreed to annual monitoring and review to ensure effective implementation and progress.

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SMART-CROP Project Launched by SBI Foundation and ICRISAT for Smallholder Farmers (End of October) ▼

Project Name: SMART-CROP (Sustainable Monitoring and Real-time Tracking for Crop Resilience and Optimal Practices)
Supported by: SBI Foundation’s LEAP programme, in collaboration with University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS) Raichur, ICRISAT, and Agribridge
Objective: Use satellite imaging, remote sensing, and AI/ML analytics for real-time crop stress monitoring to help farmers take proactive measures against climate risks, pest/disease outbreaks, and soil degradation
Target Beneficiaries: Over 8,000 smallholder farmers across Karnataka and Telangana
Project Duration: Three-year initiative

WEF report flags seven deep-tech innovations set to redefine global agriculture (Start of November) ▼

Seven deep technologies identified: generative AI, robotics, computer vision, edge IoT, CRISPR-based genome editing, nanotechnology, and satellite-enabled remote sensing
ICAR’s CRISPR-edited DRR 100 rice shows 19% yield increase and 20% lower emissions with improved drought and salinity tolerance
Pusa DST Rice 1 CRISPR strain raises yields up to 30.4% in saline/alkaline soils, potentially boosting overall production by 20%
India’s PMFBY crop-insurance scheme uses satellite imagery, drones, and mobile geotagging to replace manual crop-cutting experiments for faster, transparent claim settlements
India’s open-source Bhashini platform supplies datasets, language models, and APIs, enabling start-ups to build vernacular AI tools for rural outreach

NITI Aayog’s ‘Re-imagining Agriculture: A Roadmap for Frontier Technology-led Transformation’ Launched (Start of November) ▼

Name: ‘Re-imagining Agriculture: A Roadmap for Frontier Technology-led Transformation’ prepared by NITI Frontier Tech Hub, NITI Aayog
Launch: formally launched by Gujarat Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel
Objective: serve as a blueprint to prepare the country’s agriculture sector for the future by integrating data, connectivity and intelligence directly into the agricultural management system
Key features: promotes digital agriculture through National e-Governance Plan for Agriculture, Digital Crop Survey, Farmer Registry; envisages AI & IoT-based soil productivity, crop-disease and nutrient-level information; supports next-generation seeds, equipment and inputs to cut costs and curb environmental damage
Gujarat alignment: State has established Gujarat State Institution of Transformation (GRIT) as its own think-tank and is developing the Surat Economic Region as one of four national growth hubs under NITI Aayog guidance

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 and Jordan conclude landmark bilateral visit on December 16, 2025

[Jordan]

Key Updates:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded a landmark two-day visit to Jordan, marking 75 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The current full bilateral visit is taking place after an interval of 37 years, following a previous transit visit in February 2018.
India and Jordan maintain strong economic and strategic ties, with bilateral trade nearing USD 2.9 billion.
Jordan is a key supplier of phosphates and potash to India, with cooperation also spanning fertilisers, pharmaceuticals, IT, healthcare, defence and renewable energy.
The relationship spans political, economic and defence cooperation, as well as strong people-to-people ties, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
The visit to Jordan was the first leg of a four-day, three-nation tour that includes subsequent travel to Ethiopia and Oman.

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India and Jordan sign five MoUs after PM Modi–King Abdullah II talks in Amman (Mid of December) ▼

India and Jordan signed five MoUs covering technical cooperation in new and renewable energy, water resources management, twinning of Petra and Ellora, renewal of the Cultural Exchange Programme 2025-2029, and cooperation on population-scale digital solutions.
PM Modi proposed raising India-Jordan bilateral trade to USD 5 billion over the next five years from the present USD 2.8 billion.
Both leaders reiterated their shared stand against terrorism, extremism and radicalisation.

India's Prime Minister Modi begins three-nation tour to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman for Diplomacy and Trade on 15 December 2025 (Mid of December) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started a three-nation visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman.
The tour focuses on diplomacy, trade expansion, and partnerships with the Global South.
His first stop is Jordan, where he will meet King Abdullah II and other leaders to celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations.
Next, he will visit Ethiopia for the first time, addressing Parliament and meeting Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
The tour will conclude in Oman on December 17 and 18.

13th India-UAE High Level Task Force on Investments co-chaired by Piyush Goyal and Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (End of September) ▼

Co-chairs: Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal and Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, managing director of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
Agenda includes review of India-UAE CEPA, Double Taxation Treaty, and UAE-India Central Bank matters
Exploration of investment opportunities in maritime and space sectors identified as having strong growth potential

First-ever state visit by an Indian President to Botswana (Mid of November) ▼

President Droupadi Murmu's ongoing visit is the first-ever state visit by an Indian head of state to Botswana.
India and Botswana will mark 60 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.
Botswana has symbolically donated eight cheetahs to India under Project Cheetah.

Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Researchers Develop Green Tea-Based Nanoparticle Therapy for Alzheimer's Disease

[Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST)]

Key Updates:

Researchers at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, have identified a new pathway involving nanoparticles to treat Alzheimer's Disease (AD).
The therapy involves nanoparticles that integrate epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) -- an antioxidant found in green tea --, dopamine -- a neurotransmitter important for mood -- and tryptophan -- an amino acid involved in many cellular functions -- into a nanoparticle called EGCG-dopamine-tryptophan nanoparticles (EDTNPs).
Incorporation of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) -- a protein crucial for the survival, growth, and function of neurons onto EDTNPs (B-EDTNPs) creates a dual-action nanoplatform that not only clears neurotoxic Amyloid Beta aggregates but also enhances neuronal regeneration.
The research involves the synthesis of EDTNPs using biocompatible assembly techniques like pressure-assisted hydrothermal and electrostatic-based co-incubation methods to combine antioxidant, neurotransmitter, and amino acid components.
The therapy enables it to simultaneously target amyloid aggregation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and neuronal degeneration -- four key pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's.

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Texas A&M University team uses molybdenum-disulfide nanoflowers to trigger mitochondria transfer and revive aging cells (Start of December) ▼

Researchers at Texas A&M University used nanoflowers made from molybdenum disulfide to scavenge reactive oxygen species and stimulate stem cells to produce surplus mitochondria.
The surplus mitochondria were naturally transferred to old, damaged neighboring cells, restoring energy levels without genetic manipulation.
In lab tests, mitochondria transfer rates doubled, heart smooth-muscle cell numbers rose three-to-four-fold, and chemotherapy-damaged heart cells showed significantly higher survival.

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

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.

Max Planck Institute team identifies PU.1–CD28 axis that switches microglia into neuroprotective mode against Alzheimer’s damage (Mid of November) ▼

Discovery: Down-regulating the transcription factor PU.1 converts a small subset of microglia into neuroprotective cells that suppress brain-wide inflammation and curb amyloid pathology in Alzheimer’s mouse models
Institution: Max Planck Institute (Anne Schaefer laboratory) in collaboration with Alison Goate and Alexander Tarakhovsky
Key finding: Protective microglia express the lymphoid co-stimulatory receptor CD28; microglia-specific deletion of CD28 abolishes their suppressive function, accelerates plaque growth and worsens neuroinflammation
Human relevance: Results were validated in human microglia and human brain tissue, and align with prior genetic evidence that lower PU.1 (SPI1) expression is associated with reduced Alzheimer’s risk
Therapeutic implication: The PU.1–CD28 signaling axis provides a new molecular target for microglia-directed immunotherapies aimed at slowing or preventing Alzheimer’s progression

World Alzheimer’s Day observed on September 21st (End of September) ▼

September 21st marks World Alzheimer’s Day.
It is a time to shine a light on one of the most common forms of dementia affecting millions of families across the globe.
The day is important as it reminds us to talk openly about the condition, fight the stigma, and push for better research, resources, and care.

Tesla commissions first Supercharger station in Gurugram

[Tesla]

Key Updates:

Tesla launched its first charging station in Gurugram at DLF Horizon Center.
The Supercharging site is equipped with four V4 Superchargers with peak charging speed of 250 kW.
Three destination chargers provide charging speed of 11 kW.
A Model Y can add up to 275 km of range in 15 minutes using Tesla Superchargers.
Tesla now operates three charging stations across India with 12 superchargers and 10 destination chargers.

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Tesla Expands Physical Presence and Introduces Model Y in India (Mid of November) ▼

India’s first Tesla Centre will open its doors to the public on November 26 at Orchid Business Park in Gurugram.
The launch comes four months after Tesla inaugurated its first experience centre in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex, followed by another at Delhi’s Aerocity.
India became Tesla’s 50th global market earlier this year when the company introduced two imported variants of the Model Y, priced from Rs 59.89 lakh.
Both models are shipped from Tesla’s Shanghai plant, and with a 70% import duty, they rank among the most expensive Model Ys in the world.
FADA data, based on Vahan registrations, indicates Tesla sold 104 units in September and October.
Sharad Agarwal, who joined in November, is shaping its strategy under newly appointed country head.
Tesla’s direct competition includes the BMW iX1, Mercedes EQA, Volvo EC40, Kia EV6, and BYD Sealion 7.

Vingroup signs $3 billion MoU with Telangana government for multi-sector ecosystem. (Start of December) ▼

Vingroup commits $3 billion investment to establish a multi-sector ecosystem covering smart urban development, electric mobility, healthcare, education, tourism and renewable energy across approximately 2,500 hectares in Telangana.
Telangana government will facilitate land allocation, fast-track approvals and coordinate planning for the project.
The $3 billion plan surpasses Vingroup's $2 billion VinFast factory under construction in North Carolina, United States, making it the conglomerate's biggest potential investment outside Vietnam.
VinFast, Vingroup's electric vehicle arm, already operates a manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu and announced a $500 million expansion of the plant last week.
Vingroup reported a net profit of 7.565 trillion dong ($287.42 million) for the first nine months of 2025, nearly double its earnings from the same period in 2024.
Vingroup's total debt stood at $12.35 billion as of September 2025, with approximately half tied to bank loans and syndicated credit facilities.
The Telangana projects will include a 1,080-hectare smart city, a 350-hectare theme park, and a 500 MW solar farm.

Tidco to set up space propellant park near Isro launch centre in Kulasekarapattinam (Mid of November) ▼

The Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (Tidco) has earmarked around 3,000 acres of land in Kulasekarapattinam and surrounding areas in Tuticorin district for the development of aerospace-related industries.
The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) is developing a launchpad in Kulasekarapattinam.
Tidco is going to set up a space propellant park at least 25 km away from Isro's launch centre.
The new site in Kulasekarapattinam is uniquely strategic for Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) launches, as it allows for a direct southward trajectory over the sea, reducing the fuel-intensive 'dogleg' manoeuvre required for launches from the existing Sriharikota site.
Launches from Kulasekarapattinam are expected to be 30% cheaper than those from Sriharikota.
Adjacent to the Isro facility, the state is developing two specialised industrial parks -- one for propellant manufacturing and another for general space industries -- including a common facility centre with a sanctioned Rs 100crore budget.
2,000 acres of land have been earmarked for the propellant park and 1,000 acres for the common facility centre at Allikulam in Tuticorin district.

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.

Bannerughatta Biological Park (BBP) Imports Black-Capped Capuchin Monkeys from South Africa

[South Africa]

Key Updates:

Bannerughatta Biological Park (BBP) in Bengaluru has imported eight black-capped capuchin monkeys — four male and four female — from South Africa's Induna Primate and Parrot Park under an animal exchange programme aimed at strengthening conservation and genetic diversity of captive species.
Black-capped capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella) are native to South America and are known for their high intelligence and social behaviour.
The exchange programme is expected to enhance the genetic pool of the species under captive management at BBP, supporting scientific research and educational outreach.
The monkeys have been placed in a designated quarantine facility at the park, where post-import health checks are under way.
The animals will be moved to the zoo's display enclosures only after they complete the mandatory quarantine period and are certified fit by veterinarians.

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Interpol-led Operation Thunder 2025 nets 30,000 live animals, 10,500 arthropods and 4,640 seizures across 134 nations (Mid of December) ▼

More than 30,000 live animals were seized during a month-long global crackdown.
Nearly 10,500 butterflies, spiders and insects — many protected under CITES — were seized around the world.
A record 5.8 tonnes of bushmeat was seized, with a notable increase in cases from Africa into Europe.
Authorities seized 215 kg and 1,900 pieces of elephant ivory; 28 kg and seven rhinoceros horns; seven tonnes of pangolin scales and meat.
Over 10 tonnes of live plants and plant derivatives were seized, driven largely by demand from horticulture and collector markets.
Illicit timber is estimated to account for between 15 per cent and 30 per cent of all timber traded globally.

Citizen science unveils new shieldtail snake Rhinophis siruvaniensis in Western Ghats plantations (Mid of December) ▼

Rhinophis siruvaniensis, a new burrowing shieldtail snake, was discovered in a coffee plantation at Jellipara village, Palakkad district, Kerala.
The species was formally described in the journal Evolutionary Systematics by scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Wayanad Wild and the Kalinga Foundation.
Shieldtails belong to the Uropeltidae family; India and Sri Lanka together host 73 known species, with the genus Rhinophis containing 26 species.
Genetic analysis using mitochondrial DNA shows R. siruvaniensis is a 2–4% sequence divergent sister taxon to R. melanoleucus from Wayanad.
The study relied on three specimens collected outside protected areas, highlighting that unknown biodiversity can persist in plantation landscapes.
Researchers preserved specimens in ethanol, examined scale counts and colour patterns under a stereo microscope and amplified mitochondrial DNA via PCR for species delimitation.
Herpetologists caution that exclusive use of mitochondrial DNA can mislead taxonomy; nuclear DNA or low-coverage genome sequencing is needed for firmer species status confirmation.
Burrowing snakes possess highly specialised skulls and narrow diets, making them vulnerable to climate change and soil perturbations.
The Shieldtail Mapping Project (SMP), a citizen-science platform founded in 2021, has already geo-referenced over 1,200 shieldtail records, six-fold the data gathered by a single researcher in a decade.
Future work will micro-CT scan shieldtail skulls to test whether environmental conditions drive morphological change, continuing collaboration between Indian and London Natural History Museum researchers.

Discovery of Albino Checkered Kneelback Snake in Assam (Mid of November) ▼

A juvenile albino checkered kneelback snake, a rare hypopigmentation anomaly, has been documented for the first time in Guwahati at the Assam State Zoo.
This discovery adds the state to an exclusive list of regions that reported hypopigmentation anomalies in this species.
The snake displayed the character of albinism, a genetic anomaly causing absence of melanin, resulting in pale yellow skin and distinctive red eyes.
The finding was published in the international journal ‘Reptiles and Amphibians’ by a team of researchers including Rupankar Bhattacharjee, Ashwini Kumar, Jayaditya Purkayastha, Pranjal Mahananda, and Debabrata Phukon.
The identity of the snake was confirmed through detailed inspection of its appearance and scalation, which matched published descriptions for the Fowlea piscator.
Albino snakes face significant difficulty to survive in the wild, making discoveries of such species rare and scientifically valuable, as they rarely get the chance to grow to adulthood.
After careful observation and study by the state zoo researchers, the snake was released safely into a protected forest habitat within three days of its finding.
The albino snake found was a juvenile measuring 290 mm.

COP30: Conference of the Parties 30 Details (Start of November) ▼

The COP30 is scheduled to be held in Brazil's Belem from November 10 to 21.
The COP30 is important, which is happening on the completion of 10 years of the Paris Agreement.
Various issues, including the technology implementation programme, would be discussed at the conference.

Armed Forces Medical Services, AIIMS-RPC and MoHFW launch India’s first AI-driven community screening programme for Diabetic Retinopathy

[Armed Forces Medical Services, AIIMS-RPC, MoHFW]

Key Updates:

MadhuNetrAI, a web-based AI tool developed by Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, enables screening, accurate grading and triaging of retinal images captured through handheld fundus cameras.
The initiative will generate real-time data on prevalence, case numbers, and geographic distribution of Diabetic Retinopathy to guide manpower planning and resource allocation.
Seven pilot sites—Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Dharamshala, Gaya, Jorhat, and Kochi—represent urban, rural, hilly and coastal geographies for inclusive AI-driven eye health delivery.
Trained Medical Officers and Nursing staff will conduct large-scale community screening in resource-limited settings using handheld fundus cameras integrated with MadhuNetrAI.
Patients detected with vision-threatening Diabetic Retinopathy will be referred to vitreoretina specialists at designated District Hospitals, coordinated by District Health Administration.

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India Launches Multi-Panel Exercise To Develop First Obesity Guidelines (Start of December) ▼

India’s apex medical research body, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), constituted multiple panels to draft and design scientific guidelines for obesity.
Work on the project began in September.
The plan will focus on creating evidence-based prevention and treatment guidelines for Indians across different phases of life, from childhood and adolescence to young adulthood, midlife, and old age.
The objective is to release at least one set of guidelines by mid-2026.
A policy group, consisting of five joint secretaries from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, will be set up to convert the guideline draft into simple, easy-to-understand language for the Indian population.

World Diabetes Day 2025 observed on November 14 with theme 'Diabetes Across Life Stages' (Mid of November) ▼

World Diabetes Day is observed every year on November 14.
The theme for World Diabetes Day 2025 is 'Diabetes Across Life Stages'.
World Diabetes Day was established in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
It became an official United Nations Day in 2006.
The date was chosen to honour Sir Frederick Banting, who, along with Charles Best, co-discovered insulin in 1922.
It is recognised as the world’s largest campaign to raise awareness about diabetes, reaching over one billion people across more than 160 countries.

IndiaAI and WHO Launch Global Call for AI Health Solutions for Casebook (End of October) ▼

The IndiaAI Mission (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have announced a global call for abstracts.
The call highlights impactful and scalable applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in health systems.
Shortlisted entries will be invited to contribute a chapter to the Casebook on AI Health Use Cases Across the Global South.
The Casebook, jointly developed by IndiaAI and WHO, is set to be launched at the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi in February.
It will serve as a comprehensive reference for policymakers, innovators, and researchers seeking to replicate and scale successfully implemented AI solutions across the Global South.
Researchers, innovators, and institutions from across the Global South are invited to submit abstracts by 31st October 2025.
Selected contributors will submit full chapters, with the submission deadline for chapter entries set for 15th December.
Selected entries will have the opportunity to be showcased at the India-AI Impact Summit 2026.

NHA–ICMR–DHR Renew MoU to Strengthen Evidence-Based Reforms in Ayushman Bharat (Mid of November) ▼

Parties: National Health Authority (NHA), Department of Health Research (DHR) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) renewed the MoU signed in November 2019.
Objective: "bolster evidence-based decision-making across the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)".
New inclusion: "For the first time, the MoU’s scope will also include supporting the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM)" by evaluating digital health interventions like EHRs, telemedicine, AI-driven diagnostics and health data exchanges through HTAIn.
Key collaboration areas: Costing of healthcare services using National Costing Initiative data; institutionalizing Standard Treatment Workflows (STWs) to reduce practice variation; and conducting operational/implementation research on barriers in rural areas, fraud prevention and supply-chain issues.

Manu Bhaker and Ojas Deotale win National Shooting and Archery titles

Key Updates:

Manu Bhaker won the gold medal in the senior women’s 25m sports pistol event at the 68th National Shooting Championship Competitions (NSCC) with a score of 36.
Simranpreet Kaur Brar secured the gold medal in the junior women’s 25m sports pistol event at the 68th NSCC by shooting a score of 39.
Maharashtra clinched the gold medal in the women’s team 25m sports pistol event with a combined score of 1726-40x.
Ojas Pravin Deotale defeated Abhishek Verma in a shootout (30-28) to win the gold medal in the men’s individual compound event at the Senior National Archery Championship.
Aditi Swami won the gold medal in the women’s individual compound archery event by defeating Sakshi Chaudhary with a score of 146-145.
The All India Police Sports Control Board (AIPSCB) won the gold medal in the women’s team compound event at the Senior National Archery Championship.
Delhi won the gold medal in the men’s team compound event, while Punjab secured the gold in the mixed team event at the Senior National Archery Championship.
Andhra Pradesh will host the Blind Premier League in 2026, with plans to establish 26 teams across the state's districts.
Manchester City and JAIN Sports launched a new Manchester City Football School at the JAIN Global Campus in Bengaluru.
The 80th edition of the Cricket Club of India (CCI) Western India Squash Tournament will be held in Mumbai under the Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI).

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Archery Premier League (APL) wins 'Emerging Professional Sports Event of the Year' (Start of December) ▼

The Archery Premier League (APL) clinched the 'Emerging Professional Sports Event of the Year' title at the 2025 India Sports Awards.
The honor was announced at the FICCI TURF 2025: 15th Global Sports Summit, held at the FICCI Federation House, New Delhi.
APL is organized by the Archery Association of India (AAI).
APL's inaugural season ran from October 2 to 12, 2025, at Yamuna Sports Complex in New Delhi.

ISSF World Championships: Samrat Rana wins gold in men's 10m air pistol, India secures team gold (Mid of November) ▼

Samrat Rana wins gold in 10m air pistol.
Varun takes bronze.
Samrat, who hails from Karnal, shot 243.7 in the final to beat back the challenge of China’s Hu Kai, who took the silver in a nerve-wracking medal round with a score of 243.3.
India’s Varun Tomar shot 221.7 to take the bronze in a high-intensity final.
The 20-year-old Samrat became the first Indian pistol shooter in an Olympic discipline to become a world champion.
Samrat also helped India win the team gold in the event.
India clinched the team gold with the trio of Samrat (586), Varun (586), and Shravan (582) aggregating 1754.
India got a small consolation by winning a team silver with Esha (583), Manu (580), and world No.1 Suruchi Inder Singh (577), aggregating 1740 for the second-place finish.
The article was Updated : Nov 11, 2025 02:45 IST.
The article was Published on Nov 10, 2025.

Anish Bhanwala wins silver in men’s 25m rapid fire pistol at ISSF World Championships (Mid of November) ▼

Anish Bhanwala secured India’s fifth medal at the ongoing Shooting World Championships by clinching the silver medal in the men’s 25m rapid fire pistol event in Cairo, Egypt.
The Indian finished with a score of 28 at the end of eight series, behind gold medal-winner Clement Bessaguet’s (France) score of 29.
Ukraine’s Maksym Horodynets clinched bronze with 25.
Bhanwala entered the final in second place after qualification (585 - 22x) and prevailed in four shoot-offs en route to his maiden individual World Championships medal.
Earlier this year, Bhanwala had also won the silver medal at the Asian Shooting Championships in the same event in Shymkent, Kazakhstan.

Armless Archer Sheetal Devi Qualifies for First Able-Bodied International Event (Start of November) ▼

Armless archer Sheetal Devi qualifies for her first international able-bodied event: ‘I have not seen myself as lesser than anybody’
On Thursday morning, Sheetal Devi sealed her spot in the Indian junior team for Asia Cup 2025 Stage 3 to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from December 10 to 15, breaking new ground once more.
It would be the first time that the newly-crowned Para Archery World Champion would be playing in an able-bodied tournament.
Devi finished third in the trials in Sonepat behind Tejal Rajendra Salve and Vaidehi Jadhav, and forms the Indian team along with fourth-placed Dnyaneshwari Gadadhe.
Earlier this year, Devi had claimed the silver medal in the Khelo India NTPC National Ranking Archery event in Delhi , an able-bodied event where she lost against Ekta Rani in the final.
Sharma shares that they have next year’s Asian Games in sight, with plans for Devi to appear at the trials in January next year.

GS Delhi Aces ousts Yash Mumbai Eagles to lift maiden Tennis Premier League title

Key Updates:

GS Delhi Aces clinched its maiden Tennis Premier League title, beating Yash Mumbai Eagles in the final.
GS Delhi Aces sealed a dominant 51–36 overall victory.
The final was held at the Gujarat University Tennis Stadium.

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Archery Premier League (APL) wins 'Emerging Professional Sports Event of the Year' (Start of December) ▼

The Archery Premier League (APL) clinched the 'Emerging Professional Sports Event of the Year' title at the 2025 India Sports Awards.
The honor was announced at the FICCI TURF 2025: 15th Global Sports Summit, held at the FICCI Federation House, New Delhi.
APL is organized by the Archery Association of India (AAI).
APL's inaugural season ran from October 2 to 12, 2025, at Yamuna Sports Complex in New Delhi.

Dabang Delhi K.C. Wins Second PKL Title in 2025 Final (Start of November) ▼

Dabang Delhi K.C. defeated Puneri Paltan to win its second PKL title.
Dabang Delhi beat Puneri Paltan 31-28 in the Pro Kabaddi League 12 final.
The final was held on Friday, October 31, 2025, at the Thyagaraj Indoor Stadium in Delhi.
Fazel Atrachali was named as the MVP of PKL 12.
Navdeep was named as the best defender of the tournament and topped the tackle charts with 73 tackle points.
Ayan Lohchab was named as the best raider in the tournament and ended with 316 raid points.
Deepak Sankar of Bengaluru Bulls was named as the best new young player of the tournament.
Joginder Narwal was the coach and Ashu Malik was the captain of the winning Dabang Delhi K.C. team.

Janice Tjen wins maiden WTA title at Chennai Open 2025 (Start of November) ▼

Janice Tjen defeated Kimberly Birrell 6-4, 6-3 in the Chennai Open 2025 final.
The match was played at SDAT Stadium in Chennai.
Tjen became the first Indonesian WTA champion since Angelique Widjaja in 2002.
Tjen also won the doubles title alongside Aldila Sutjiadi, defeating Storm Hunter and Monica Niculescu 7-5, 6-4.

Raahul VS becomes India’s 91st Grandmaster after winning 6th ASEAN Individual Championship (Start of November) ▼

Raahul VS became India's 91st Grandmaster after winning the 6th ASEAN Individual Championship with a round to spare.
Raahul VS is 21 years old and had previously attained the International Master title in 2021.
Illamparthi AR became India’s 90th Grandmaker a week earlier after achieving his final norm at the Bijeljina Open 2025 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
S Rohith Krishna became India’s 89th Grandmaster in August after making his final GM norm at the Almaty Masters Qonaev Cup in Kazakhstan.

SJVN CMD site visit to 900 MW Arun-3 Hydro Electric Project in Nepal

[Nepal]

Key Updates:

SJVN Limited’s Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) Bhupender Gupta conducted a site visit to the 900 MW Arun-3 Hydro Electric Project in Nepal.
The project is being developed by SJVN through its wholly-owned subsidiary, SJVN Arun-3 Power Development Company Pvt. Ltd., in the Sankhuwasabha district of Nepal.
Upon commissioning, the project will supply 900 MW of clean energy and play a key role in meeting growing power demand and fostering long-term India-Nepal energy cooperation.

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Logistics bottlenecks stall Loktak hydroelectric project; NHPC briefs Manipur Governor (End of October) ▼

The Loktak Hydroelectric Project is facing serious logistical hurdles that are delaying ongoing renovation and modernization work.
NHPC Ltd. officials informed Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla about the transportation challenges during a high-level meeting at the Raj Bhavan on Monday.
Gursharan Singh, Head of Project at NHPC and newly appointed General Manager (Electrical), stated that difficulties in moving heavy machinery through the state’s hilly terrain and narrow transport routes have slowed down maintenance operations.
Governor Bhalla emphasized the urgency of completing renovation works on time to ensure continuous electricity supply across the region.
The Governor urged NHPC to adopt innovative transport and project management solutions to overcome the delays.
In a separate meeting, the Governor interacted with a delegation from the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) who highlighted difficulties in securing Protected Area Permits (PAPs) for foreign visitors.

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.

India-Nepal sign JV agreements for two 400 kV cross-border transmission links (End of October) ▼

Agreements signed between POWERGRID (India) and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) for Inaruwa (Nepal)-New Purnea (India) 400 kV and Lamki (Dododhara) (Nepal)-Bareilly (India) 400 kV Double Circuit (Quad Moose) Transmission Links
Two joint venture entities—one in India and one in Nepal—will be incorporated to develop these high-capacity power transmission corridors
Projects aimed to substantially enhance electricity exchange, strengthen regional energy security, improve grid resilience, and contribute to sustained economic growth in both nations

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.

International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers observed on December 17

Key Updates:

International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is observed annually on December 17.
The observance began in 2003 as a direct response to a tragedy in the United States.
It was inaugurated by Dr. Annie Sprinkle and the Sex Workers Outreach Project USA (SWOP-USA).
The first memorial vigil took place outside San Francisco City Hall, attended by fewer than 100 people.
The day focuses on the 'Red Umbrella,' which has become the international symbol for sex worker rights.

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International Day for the Abolition of Slavery observed on December 2 (Start of December) ▼

International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is observed on December 2 each year.
The date marks the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (resolution 317(IV) on December 2, 1949).
In 1986 the UN officially designated December 2 as the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery.

International Anti-Corruption Day observed globally on December 9 (Start of December) ▼

International Anti-Corruption Day is observed globally on December 9 every year.
The theme for International Anti-Corruption Day 2025 is “Uniting with Youth Against Corruption: Shaping Tomorrow’s Integrity.”
The origins of International Anti-Corruption Day trace back to October 31, 2003, when the United Nations General Assembly approved the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
The United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) became the first globally recognized legal instrument dedicated to combating corruption.
The United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) officially came into force in December 2005.

International Day against Colonialism in All Its Forms and Manifestations to be observed annually on 14 December (Mid of December) ▼

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'.

International Equal Pay Day and Global Reports on Gender Pay Gap (Mid of September) ▼

International Equal Pay Day is observed annually on September 18.
Proof: "Every year on September 18, this UN observance reminds everyone to contribute towards this longstanding effort towards the achievement of equal pay for work of equal value."
Achieving pay parity is an important goal for the United Nations and is included in its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Proof: "Achieving pay parity is an important goal for the United Nations and the international organisation has included it in its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."
The World Inequality Report 2022 indicates a substantial disparity in labour income in India, with men earning 82% and women earning 18%.
Proof: "According to World Inequality Report 2022 , there is a substantial disparity in labour income in India with men earning 82%, while women earning only 18%."
The Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) is led by the ILO, UN Women, and OECD.
Proof: "The Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) led by the ILO, UN Women, and OECD aims to achieve equal pay for women and men everywhere."
EPIC aims to achieve equal pay for women and men everywhere.
Proof: "EPIC aims to achieve equal pay for women and men everywhere."