Daily Current Affairs: 30 December 2025

Analysis for 30 December 2025

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

[England, Wales, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)]

Key Updates:

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

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England bundles out Australia for 152 in Boxing Day Test (End of December) ▼

England helped bundle Australia out for just 152 in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.
Josh Tongue claimed his maiden fifer on Australian soil with final figures of 5/45 in 11.2 overs.
Josh Tongue became the first England bowler since Dean Headley in 1998 to claim a men’s Test fifer at the MCG.
Michael Neser top-scored for Australia with 35 runs, while Usman Khawaja contributed 29 runs.
Gus Atkinson supported the bowling effort with figures of 2/28 from 14 overs.

Robin Smith passes away aged 62 (Start of December) ▼

Robin Smith, one of the finest players of fast bowling during an era when the England team were often viewed as a national joke, has died at the age of 62.
Smith made his England debut in 1988 and played 62 Tests, scoring 6,423 runs at an average of 43.67.
His unbeaten 167 against Australia at Edgbaston in 1993 remained an England ODI record until 2016.
Born in Durban, South Africa to British-born parents, he qualified for England via a four-year residency rule and never played for South Africa.
After retirement he captained Hampshire between 1998 and 2002, later relocating to Perth, Australia, where he openly battled mental-health and alcohol issues.

James Anderson receives knighthood for services to cricket (End of October) ▼

James Anderson received his knighthood from Princess Anne at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.
He was awarded the accolade in former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list in April.
Anderson is England’s leading wicket-taker of all-time with 704 wickets in 188 Test appearances.

Mohit Sharma announces retirement from all forms of cricket (Start of December) ▼

Veteran India pacer Mohit Sharma on Wednesday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
The 37-year-old pacer featured in 34 international appearances—26 ODIs and 8 T20Is.
He took 35 wickets in 26 ODIs and six wickets in 8 T20s.
Mohit was part of India's 2015 ODI World Cup squad.
He played more than a decade in the Indian Premier League, representing Chennai Super Kings, Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans.
In 2023, he finished as the second-highest wicket-taker of the season for Gujarat Titans.

Brigitte Bardot passed away at age 91

[France]

Key Updates:

Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot, French cinema actress and founder of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation (BBF), passed away at 91.
French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute, stating the nation was mourning 'a legend of the century'.
The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announced her death with 'immense sadness' and remembered her as 'a world-renowned actress and singer'.

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Mohammad Bakri, acclaimed Palestinian actor and filmmaker, passed away at 72 (End of December) ▼

Mohammad Bakri died at Galilee Medical Centre in Nahariya after suffering from heart and lung problems.
He was best known for his 2002 documentary Jenin, Jenin, which captured testimonies from Palestinian residents following an Israeli military operation.
Israeli authorities banned the documentary from screening in 2021, and the Supreme Court upheld the prohibition in 2022.
Bakri was born in 1953 in the Galilee village of Bi’ina and studied Arabic literature and theatre at Tel Aviv University.
He made his film debut at age 30 in Costa-Gavras’s Hanna K, playing a Palestinian refugee.

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.

Ranjana Sharma Bordoloi passed away at 80. (End of December) ▼

Ranjana Sharma Bordoloi was a veteran Assamese actress.
She starred in popular Assamese films such as ‘Dr Bezbarua’ (1969), ‘Kokadeuta Nati aru Hati’ (1983), ‘Maniram Dewan’ (1964), ‘Morom Trishna’ (1968), ‘Loti-Ghoti’ (1966), ‘Pratidhwani’ (1964), ‘Ratanlal’ (1975), and ‘Sonmai’ (1977).
She passed away in Dibrugarh.

Alia Bhatt receives Golden Globes Horizon Award at Red Sea International Film Festival (Mid of December) ▼

Alia Bhatt was honoured with the Golden Globes Horizon Award at the fifth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Tunisian actor Hend Sabry received the Omar Sharif Award at the same ceremony.
Helen Hoehne, president of the Golden Globes, stated that the Horizon Award celebrates Bhatt's exceptional contributions to international cinema and the rise of the Middle East as a global film and television hub.

Jayshree Ullal topped Hurun India Rich List 2025

Key Updates:

Jayshree Ullal, the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Arista Networks (Arista), topped the Hurun India Rich List 2025 of the richest professional managers of Indian-origin.
She surpassed Satya Nadella of Microsoft and Sundar Pichai of Google in personal wealth with an estimated net worth of $5.7 billion.
She joined Arista in September 2008 and has led the company as its CEO for 17 years.
She secured the second rank among the top five generation women wealth creators under the Candere Hurun Indian Women Leaders List 2025.
She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Engineering in 2025 in recognition of her professional contributions.
Her professional career includes previous roles at Cisco Systems, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), and Fairchild Semiconductor.

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Deepinder Goyal topped Hurun India’s Top 200 Self-Made Entrepreneurs of the Millennia 2025 list (Mid of December) ▼

Deepinder Goyal of Eternal leads Hurun India’s Top 200 Self-Made Entrepreneurs of the Millennia 2025.
Eternal’s valuation rose 27% to Rs 3.2 lakh crore.
Rahul Bhatia and Rakesh Gangwal of InterGlobe Aviation (Indigo) debuted in the top three with a valuation of Rs 2.2 lakh crore.
Peyush Bansal of Lenskart was ranked 10th after the company went public at a valuation of Rs 70,236 crore.

Ambani Family emerged as the lone Indian entrant on Bloomberg’s 2025 list of world’s richest families (Mid of December) ▼

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.

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.

Government projects India to become 3rd-largest economy with $7.3 trillion GDP by 2030

Key Updates:

India’s real GDP grew 8.2 per cent in Q2 FY2025-26, up from 7.8 per cent in the previous quarter and 7.4 per cent in Q4 of 2024-25.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) revised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY 2025-26 upwards to 7.3 per cent from the earlier estimate of 6.8 per cent.
With GDP valued at $4.18 trillion, India has surpassed Japan to become the world's fourth-largest economy.
India is poised to displace Germany from the third rank in the next 2.5 to 3 years with a projected GDP of $7.3 trillion by 2030.

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Goldman Sachs (GS) forecasts India GDP growth at 6.7% for 2026 and 6.8% for 2027. (End of December) ▼

Goldman Sachs projects India’s real GDP growth at around 6.7 per cent in 2026 and 6.8 per cent in 2027.
Global growth is expected at 2.8 per cent in 2026, above the consensus estimate of 2.5 per cent.
Emerging markets, including India, are expected to outperform developed peers amid stronger domestic demand and favourable structural trends.
India’s growth benefits from strong domestic consumption, public infrastructure spending and limited exposure to global trade disruptions.
Goldman Sachs estimates China to grow at 4.8 per cent in 2026 and 4.7 per cent in 2027.
Inflation pressures are expected to ease across most economies by end-2026, supporting accommodative monetary stances in several emerging markets.

IEA Global Energy Outlook 2025: India to Drive Global Oil Demand Growth to 2035 (Mid of November) ▼

India’s energy demand is projected to rise by an average of 3% annually till 2035, the fastest among all emerging markets and developing economies.
India’s oil use is expected to rise from 5.5 million barrels per day (mbpd) in 2024 to 8 mbpd by 2035.
India’s oil import dependency is set to climb from 87% in 2024 to 92% by 2035.
India’s refining capacity is expected to grow from 6 mbpd in 2024 to 7.5 mbpd by 2035.
India’s natural gas demand is projected to nearly double to 140 billion cubic metres (bcm) by 2035.
India’s coal production will increase by around 50 million tonnes of coal equivalent (Mtce) by 2035.
India’s carbon emissions are likely to peak around 2040 at roughly 3.4 gigatonnes per year.

Moody's Ratings pegs India GDP growth at 7% for 2025 (End of November) ▼

Moody's Ratings forecasts India’s GDP to grow 7.0% in 2025 and 6.4% in 2026.
India will lead growth among emerging markets and across APAC excluding Greater China.
APAC GDP growth will stay steady at 3.4% in 2026 versus 3.3% in 2024, with 3.6% expected in 2025.
Emerging markets in the region will average 5.6% GDP growth compared with 1.3% in advanced markets.
Most rated Indian companies have active currency risk management or strong financial buffers against Rupee weakness.
Rated companies in oil and gas, airline, telecom and ride-hailing sectors face dollar exposure due to currency mismatches.
Moody’s identifies trade, weakening macroeconomic conditions and financial markets as the three main channels through which 50% US tariffs will transmit risk to companies.
Geopolitical tensions, especially US-China frictions, inform APAC geopolitical risk and threaten semiconductor supply chains.
Moody’s outlook for APAC is stable; it would turn negative if geopolitical tensions escalate or China slows sharply, and positive if interest rates decline broadly and earnings growth strengthens.

India secures 3rd place in Lowy Institute Asia Power Index 2025 (End of November) ▼

India has secured the third position in the Asia Power Index 2025, on the back of economic growth and military capability based on its performance in Operation Sindoor, Australia-based think tank Lowy Institute said.
The 2025 edition shows India's overall power score crossing 40 points, the threshold for classification as a 'major power'.
India ranks third for two measures - economic capability and future resources.
Increases in its inward investment have seen India rise to ninth place in economic relationships.

Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI) secures 100% duty-free access for Indian exports to Australia

[Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MCI), Australia]

Key Updates:

Australia will provide duty-free access to 100% of its tariff lines for Indian exports starting Jan 1, 2026, under the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA).
India's exports to Australia grew by 8% in 2024-25, with significant gains in manufacturing, chemicals, textiles, plastics, pharmaceuticals, and petroleum products.
Gems and jewellery exports to Australia recorded a growth of 16% during the April-Nov 2025 period.
Agri-exports witnessed broad-based growth in categories including fruits, vegetables, marine products, spices, and coffee.
The ECTA, which came into force on Dec 29, 2022, serves as the foundation for ongoing negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).

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India imposes anti-dumping duty on hot rolled flat steel from Vietnam (Mid of November) ▼

India has imposed an anti-dumping duty of USD 121.55 per tonne on imports of hot rolled flat steel products from Vietnam for five years.
Steel imports stood at 4.90 million tonnes in April-September FY26, with Vietnam contributing 13 per cent.
Imports from Vietnam were 0.64 million tonnes, 17 per cent higher year-on-year.

Mexico Senate approves up to 50% tariffs on China and other non-FTA countries (Mid of December) ▼

Mexico Senate passed new tariffs of up to 50% on over 1,400 products including metals, cars, clothing and appliances.
The levies will take effect on 1 January 2026 and apply to countries without a free trade agreement with Mexico, including China, Thailand, India and Indonesia.
President Claudia Sheinbaum stated the measures are needed to boost domestic production.
China’s commerce ministry spokesperson said the tariffs will substantially harm the interests of trading partners including China and urged Mexico to correct its decision.
The move comes as Mexico negotiates with the US over threatened US tariffs on Mexican steel and aluminium.

India-New Zealand FTA Finalised with Dairy Sector Excluded (End of December) ▼

India and New Zealand have concluded negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), likely to be signed within three months and implemented next year.
India will not open up its dairy sector under any free trade agreement, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal asserted.
India has sectors from duty cuts include dairy products, most animal products, vegetables & pulses, sugar, fats & oils, copper, aluminium, arms & ammunition, and gems & jewellery.
India has provided limited market access for select agri-products using Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQ) and Minimum Import Price (MIP) safeguards.
The India-New Zealand FTA offers India duty-free access to New Zealand’s market, while New Zealand will benefit from reduced tariffs on 95% of its exports.
Discussions for the long-pending India-US trade deal are in an 'advanced stage,' though access to agriculture remains a point of contention.
The FTA reflects calibrated trade liberalisation, balancing trade growth with domestic sector protection.
New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters termed the deal a 'low-quality' deal and announced that his New Zealand First party would oppose it in Parliament.

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.

Dulhasti Stage-II Hydropower Project receives environmental clearance

Key Updates:

The Expert Appraisal Committee under the Ministry of Environment accorded environmental clearance to the 260-megawatt Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on Chenab river in Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir.
The project is estimated to cost over ₹3,200 crore and will be implemented as a run-of-the-river scheme.
The clearance was granted during the 45th meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee on hydel projects.

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Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal inaugurates commercial operation of Unit-2 of Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (End of December) ▼

The Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project is India’s largest hydropower project with a total capacity of 2000 MW, comprising eight units of 250 MW each.
The project is designed as a Run-of-the-River scheme with small pondage, utilizing eight Head Race Tunnels (HRTs) to generate 7,422 million units (MU) of renewable electricity annually.
The infrastructure features a 116-metre-high concrete gravity dam, which is the largest dam in North-East India.
The project incorporates technical milestones including India’s heaviest hydro generator rotors, largest stators, and the first-ever use of Rotec’s Tower Belt for dam concreting in the country.
It provides flood moderation with a 442 million cubic metre flood cushion and a gross reservoir storage of 1,365 million cubic metres at Full Reservoir Level (FRL).
NHPC Limited (NHPC) has implemented riverbank protection and erosion control measures extending up to 60 km downstream with an investment of approximately ₹522 crore.
The project will provide free power allocations to Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, with the North-East region receiving a total of 1,000 MW.

NLC India Renewable Limited (NIRL) and PTC India Limited (PTCIL) form joint venture for renewable energy projects (Mid of December) ▼

NLC India Renewable Limited (NIRL), a wholly owned subsidiary of NLC India Limited (NLCIL), signed a joint venture agreement with PTC India Limited (PTCIL).
The joint venture company will undertake the establishment, operation and maintenance of renewable energy projects, including solar, wind, hydro, battery energy storage systems, green ammonia and other emerging green technologies.
The collaboration envisages the development of green energy capacity up to 2,000MW, to be implemented in phases, with the first phase targeting around 500MW.

SJVN CMD site visit to 900 MW Arun-3 Hydro Electric Project in Nepal (Mid of December) ▼

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.

JSW Energy commissions India's largest green hydrogen plant in Karnataka under PLI scheme (Mid of November) ▼

JSW Energy Limited has commissioned its first green hydrogen plant at Vijayanagar in Karnataka.
The plant marks the start of commercial operations under the Government of India’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme – Tranche I.
The company stated the facility is India’s largest green hydrogen plant.
Located next to the JSW Steel facility, the plant will supply green hydrogen directly to JSW Steel’s Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) unit for low-carbon steel production.
Under a seven-year offtake agreement with JSW Steel Ltd, the plant will deliver 3,800 tonnes per annum (TPA) of green hydrogen and 30,000 TPA of green oxygen.
The facility is part of JSW Energy’s 6,800 TPA allocation under the Strategic Interventions for Green Hydrogen Transition (SIGHT) programme managed by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI).
JSW Energy has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with JSW Steel to gradually scale up supply to 85,000–90,000 TPA of green hydrogen and 720,000 TPA of green oxygen by 2030.
These developments align with India’s plan to achieve around 5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of green hydrogen production by 2030.

Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) Authorizes ₹1.60 Lakh Crore for Hospital Admissions

[Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY)]

Key Updates:

The government's flagship health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) saw a major expansion with Delhi and Odisha signing the MoU with the Ministry of Health (MoH) for its implementation.
The MoH initiative provides free treatment benefits of up to Rs 5 lakh per year to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of their socio-economic status, through Ayushman Vay Vandana cards.
As of December 1, a total of 10.98 crore hospital admissions amounting to Rs 1.60 lakh crore have been authorised under the AB-PMJAY since its inception in 2018.
The eSanjeevani telemedicine service provided more than 43.2 crore free tele-consultations, ensuring access to specialist doctors in rural and remote areas.
Under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), more than 84.35 crore health accounts (ABHA accounts) have been created so far to facilitate digital storage and sharing of medical records.
The 100 Days TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, launched on December 7, 2024, in 347 high priority districts, was expanded to cover all districts of the country to strengthen testing, treatment, and nutritional support.
The MoH launched AI-driven healthcare reforms, establishing three centres of excellence for AI in healthcare at AIIMS Delhi, PGIMER Chandigarh, and AIIMS Rishikesh.
An Android-based 'Ayushman app' was launched by the National Health Authority (NHA) featuring face-auth, OTP, IRIS, and fingerprint authentication for Ayushman card creation.

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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.

TCoE Launches Samriddh Gram Phygital Pilot to Digitally Empower Rural India (End of October) ▼

The Telecom Centres of Excellence TCoE has signed agreements with leading implementation partners to roll out the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot.
The initiative is designed to seamlessly integrate physical infrastructure with digital services across rural communities, leveraging BharatNet connectivity to deliver essential citizen-centric services, bridging the urban-rural digital divide and driving sustainable development at the grassroots level.
The Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot represents a bold new model of “phygital transformation,” merging physical presence with digital platforms.
The Department of Telecommunications DoT has identified three pilot villages for this initiative: Chaksu, Rajasthan; Khatav, Maharashtra; and Kolar, Karnataka.
Each of these villages will host a Samriddhi Kendra—a state-of-the-art integrated service hub that serves as the focal point for local citizens to access digital education, healthcare, governance, and economic opportunities.
Each Samriddhi Kendra will act as a comprehensive service hub, integrating multiple sectors through digital innovation, including Education and Skilling, Agriculture, Healthcare, e-Governance, E-Commerce and Entrepreneurship, Financial Inclusion, and Connectivity Backbone.
The implementation partners for the pilot include: Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M), Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D), Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B), Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIM-C), National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), and National Institute of Smart Governance (NISG).
Following successful implementation and impact evaluation, the model is expected to be scaled up nationwide, with plans to establish hundreds of Samriddhi Kendras across India’s 6 lakh villages.

Kerala's IT Draft Vision Targets $50 Billion Growth and 5 Lakh High-Value Jobs (End of October) ▼

The state is targeting $50 billion in economic value and to generate 5 lakh high-value employment opportunities by 2031, according to the draft vision document for information technology, electronics, semiconductor and emerging technology sectors.
The government has established four strategic missions — Kerala Artificial Intelligence Mission (K-AIM), Kerala Semiconductor Mission, Kerala Future Tech Mission and The Future Corporation to achieve the goal.
Under K-AIM, a Kerala AI Bill of Rights will be introduced by 2030 to ensure ethical and transparent use of artificial intelligence.
The document proposes to reduce govt software expenditure by 30% through increased adoption of free and open-source software and train 10 lakh people in AI and related technologies through ICT Academy.
Kerala aims to attract 120 Global Capability Centres (GCCs) across the state by 2031, establishing dedicated GCC parks within major IT and development corridors.
Kerala is also targeting to host 250 companies in the AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) sector by 2029, securing 10% of the national export share, and achieving 100% online govt services, setting a new Kerala model in digital governance.
The document envisions attracting Rs 20,000 crore in startup investments, nurturing 20,000 startups and developing 30 million sq ft of new IT office spaces across Kerala.

‘Green to Gold’ Initiative: ₹1,000–₹2,000 Crore Annual Revenue for Himachal Pradesh

[Himachal Pradesh]

Key Updates:

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu launched the ‘Green to Gold’ initiative, which is "aimed at transforming industrial hemp into a key driver of sustainable growth."
The policy is "aligned with the vision of making Himachal a self-reliant state by 2027" by transforming hemp into a globally valued industrial and medicinal resource.
The Himachal Pradesh cabinet approved the policy on "Jan 24 this year," with a pilot project for controlled cultivation set to begin soon.
The initiative mandates "strict enforcement of THC levels below 0.3%, ensuring the crop remains non-intoxicating and unsuitable for misuse."
State government projections suggest that regulated hemp farming could "generate Rs 1,000–Rs 2,000 crore annually" for the public exchequer.
The policy aims to ensure the state's natural wealth "benefits local farmers, youth, and the public exchequer" while providing a climate-resilient alternative for agriculture.
Industrial hemp is promoted as a sustainable resource that "requires nearly 50% less water and can grow in marginal soils" compared to traditional crops.
Under the "‘Hemp-Hub' vision," the state aims to become a manufacturing center for products like hempcrete, specialized textiles, and Ayurvedic medicines.

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Andhra Pradesh launches Rythanna Meekosam to promote Panchasutra-based farming practices (End of November) ▼

Andhra Pradesh government is set to roll out a new five-day programme titled ‘Rythanna Meekosam’ from November 24 to 29.
Public representatives and officials will visit farmers to explain the benefits of implementing Panchasutras in cultivation.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu conducted a teleconference with nearly 10,000 officials and staff from the Agriculture, Allied, and Marketing departments.
Workshops are scheduled on December 3 at Rythu Seva Kendras across the state.

World Bank Clears $600 Million for Uttar Pradesh and Haryana Clean Air Programs (Mid of December) ▼

The World Bank has approved $599.66 million in financing for two major clean air programs in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
These initiatives aim to improve air quality, reduce health impacts, and strengthen both states as attractive business destinations.
The programs will invest in clean cooking, electric mobility, and cleaner industrial practices.
Paul Procee, Acting Country Director, World Bank India, stated that 'Air pollution is causing severe health impacts, loss of productivity and reduced quality of life across South Asia.'
The operations mark the first airshed-based, multi-sectoral programs taken up by Indian state governments to address air pollution.
The Uttar Pradesh Clean Air Management Program (UPCAMP), backed by $299.66 million, will expand the state’s Clean Air Plan with investments across transport, agriculture and industry.
UPCAMP aims to provide clean cooking access to 3.9 million households and promote clean mobility by deploying 15,000 electric three-wheelers and 500 electric buses in Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi and Gorakhpur.
Haryana’s Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development Operation, supported by $300 million, will invest in air quality and emissions monitoring and expand clean transport options such as electric buses and electric three-wheelers in Gurugram, Sonipat and Faridabad.
In November, Haryana slipped into the red zone of India’s air quality map, with no district meeting the national annual PM2.5 standard.
The Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) has identified Haryana as a significant pollution hotspot in the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
Gurugram is among seven districts in Haryana that rank within India’s 50 most polluted, with PM2.5 levels at least twice—and in some cases nearly three times—above the annual national safety limit.
Both state programs form part of the World Bank's Regional Air Quality Management Program in the Indo-Gangetic Plains and Himalayan Foothills.

Northeast India Organic Week inaugurated on November 29, 2025 (Start of December) ▼

The first Northeast India Organic Week was inaugurated on November 29, 2025.
The event was organised in partnership with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the Union Commerce Ministry and IFOAM-Organics Asia.
Delegates and buyers from 13 countries attended Meghalaya’s inaugural Northeast India Organic Week.
Meghalaya Agriculture Commissioner and Secretary is Dr Vijay Kumar D.
Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) chairman is Abhishek Dev.
IFOAM-Organics Asia executive director is Jennifer Chang.
Meghalaya Chief Minister is Conrad K Sangma.
Meghalaya is the second fastest growing state behind Tamil Nadu.
Lakadong turmeric has up to 13 per cent curcumin content.
A new ginger processing unit worth Rs 25 crore has been set up as the largest organic spice processing facility in the Northeast.
The eighth edition of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) was highlighted.
The ‘Green Meghalaya’ initiative focuses on ongoing climate action efforts.
GI-tagged Khasi mandarins have made inroads into Gulf markets through the Lulu Group.

India Achieves Historic Record of 357 Million Tonnes Foodgrain Production (Start of December) ▼

India produced 357 million tonnes of foodgrains.
India's foodgrain production increased by 100 million tonnes compared to 10 years ago.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Natural Farming Exhibition in Coimbatore.
The South India Natural Farming Summit promotes sustainable, eco-friendly, and chemical-free agricultural practices.
The Summit focuses on regenerative farming as a climate-smart and economically sustainable model.
The Summit showcases innovations in organic inputs, agro-processing, eco-friendly packaging, and indigenous technologies.

Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPM) approved with over ₹7,000 crore outlay

Key Updates:

The Government has approved over 7 thousand crore rupees for the ‘Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets’ (REPM).
REPM aims to build India’s first integrated domestic manufacturing ecosystem for high-value magnets and create 6,000 metric tonnes per annum capacity spanning the entire value chain from rare-earth oxides to finished magnets.
The Ministry of Mines has entered into bilateral agreements with mineral-rich countries, including Australia, Argentina and Zambia, to support the initiative.

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Centre approves 17 projects worth ₹7,172 cr under Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (Mid of November) ▼

17 projects approved under Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS) with ₹7,172 crore investment
Total approved projects under ECMS now 24, involving vendors like Jabil Circuit India, Aequs Consumer Products, Uno Minda, ASUX Safety Components India, Zetfab India, TE Connectivity India, and Meena Electrotech
Projects span categories: camera module, connectors, multi-layer PCB, oscillators, enclosures across nine states
Cumulative production value expected: ₹65,111 crore
Scheme outlay: ₹22,919 crore over six years with one-year gestation period, offering investment, turnover-linked, and capex-linked incentives

Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS): Key Features and Objectives (Mid of November) ▼

Scheme Name: Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS); Notified on April 8 this year with an outlay of ₹22,919 crore.
Objective: Bolster India’s push into producing high-value components and integrating into global value chains (GVCs).
Key Features: Offers investment, turnover-linked, and capital expenditure (capex)-linked incentives across sub-assemblies (electronics), supply chain ecosystem, and sub-assembly (telecom); six-year duration with one-year gestation period.
Latest Approval: 17 new projects worth ₹7,172 crore approved, taking the cumulative tally to 24 approved projects.
Investment & Production: Total proposed investment under ECMS stands at ₹1.15 lakh crore against a target of ₹59,000 crore; projects are expected to yield production worth ₹65,111 crore cumulatively.
Employment: Applicants propose to create employment for nearly 1.41 lakh people compared to a target of 91,600.
Categories Covered: Camera module, connectors, multi-layer PCB, oscillators, enclosures, among others, spread across nine states.

CSIR and NICDC sign MoU to embed R&D hubs and innovation centres in India’s industrial corridors (Mid of November) ▼

CSIR–NICDC MoU signed by Dr. Vibha Malhotra Sawhney, Head, Technology Management Directorate, CSIR, and Mr. Vikas Goel, General Manager (CS & Marketing), NICDC, in New Delhi.
Joint plan to develop R&D hubs, industrial incubators, and innovation centres across NICDC’s smart industrial cities and corridors.
Priority technology domains: industrial automation and robotics, renewable energy and clean technologies, advanced materials, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, digital manufacturing, agro-processing and green chemicals.
Framework aligns with national initiatives Make in India, Startup India, and Aatmanirbhar Bharat to commercialise indigenous technologies and foster tech-driven startups.

Radhakrishnan Opens 30th CII Summit, Highlights Andhra’s Growth and India’s Rise (Mid of November) ▼

Vice-President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the 30th Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam.
The summit is co-hosted by CII, DPIIT under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, and the Government of Andhra Pradesh.
Shri Radhakrishnan declared that uplifting millions from poverty through sustained economic activity remains Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s most historic achievement.
India is now the world’s fourth-largest economy and the fastest-growing major economy.
Andhra Pradesh is fast becoming India’s industrial engine, supported by progressive infrastructure development, logistics efficiency, and investor confidence.
The summit theme is “Technology, Trust and Trade: Navigating the New Geoeconomic Order.”
The event features 45 dedicated business and policy sessions, 72 international speakers, delegates from 45 countries, and over 300 overseas participants.
India is the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world and aims to lead in clean technology exports, especially in green hydrogen, electric mobility, and renewable energy.
Visakhapatnam is predicted to emerge as a paradise for investment and innovation in the coming years.
India’s foreign policy approach is guided by Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world is one family.

Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnet (REPM) approved with an outlay of ₹7,280 crore

Key Updates:

The Government has approved the ‘Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnet’ (REPM) with a financial outlay of ₹7,280 crore.
The scheme aims to establish 6,000 metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) of integrated REPM manufacturing capacity in India, covering the full chain from rare-earth oxides to finished magnets.
The total capacity will be distributed among up to five beneficiaries through a global competitive bidding process, with each beneficiary eligible for up to 1,200 MTPA, ensuring diversification along with adequate scale.
The scheme includes a strong incentive structure, with ₹6,450 crore earmarked as sales-linked incentives for REPM production over five years.
A ₹750 crore capital subsidy will support the establishment of advanced, integrated REPM manufacturing facilities.
The scheme will be implemented over seven years, comprising a two-year gestation period for setting up the integrated REPM facilities followed by five years of incentive disbursement linked to REPM sales.
This also complements India’s broader focus on strengthening its critical mineral value chain through the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM), which aims to improve availability and processing capabilities for key minerals, including rare-earth elements utilised across advanced sectors.
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act) has been reformed under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 to strengthen India’s critical minerals ecosystem by opening private participation in all spheres of mineral exploration.

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VoxelGrids Builds India’s First Indigenous MRI Scanner (End of December) ▼

VoxelGrids, a Zoho-backed start-up, has developed the country’s first indigenous MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scanner.
The machine, with a Magnetic Field Strength of 1.5 tesla, is not just a locally made version of MRIs from global giants like Siemens or GE HealthCare but comes with its own technological advancements.
VoxelGrids’ MRI scanners, due to the absence of liquid helium, are around 40 per cent cheaper to build.
The electronics around the magnet are extremely well-packaged while maintaining the same bore-size making it far more power efficient and reducing operating costs exponentially.
The scanner has been deployed at Chandrapur Cancer Care Foundation (CCCF) near Nagpur.
The company already has the capacity to make 20-25 such scanners per year at its Bengaluru manufacturing facility.

Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) sanctions ₹7,280 Cr to build 6,000 TPA integrated rare-earth magnet capacity. (Start of December) ▼

Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) allocates ₹6,450 Cr in sales-linked incentives and ₹750 Cr in capital subsidies for five beneficiaries (1,200 TPA each).
India currently imports ~100 % of its rare-earth magnet demand; imports stood at ~2.3 kilo tons in 2024 with ~65 % sourced from China.
Domestic rare-earth reserves are estimated at ~7 Mn Tons and are monazite-based, requiring radiological safeguards due to thorium content.

India to triple rare-earth magnet incentive outlay to over ₹7,000 crore (Start of November) ▼

The incentive outlay for rare-earth magnet manufacturing is being raised to 'over ₹7,000 crore ($788 million)', up from the earlier '$290 million plan'.
The support is expected to cover 'about five companies through a mix of production-linked and capital subsidies'.
India's annual demand is projected at 'about 2,000 tonnes of rare earth oxides'.

India Updates on Rare Earths Import Licences from China Amid US-China Talks (Start of November) ▼

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that some Indian companies had received licences for importing rare earth minerals from China.
As many as four Indian companies, including DE Diamond, Hitachi, and Continental India, were reported to have gained permits to import Chinese rare magnets.
These clearances are the first set since Beijing imposed tight controls on the export of these magnets in April.
The latest restrictions on import of rare earth magnets and related materials from China began on April 4.
EV makers in India are especially impacted and are on the verge of a potential shortage of critical components, raising concerns about price surge and production delays in the auto market.
China's ban included seven heavy rare earth metals, such as samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium, as well as rare earth magnets.

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

[Uttar Pradesh]

Key Updates:

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

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Government of India (GoI) Notifies Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules 2025 (End of December) ▼

The Government of India (GoI) has notified the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2025, under the Oilfields (Regulation and Development) Amendment Act, 2025.
The new rules replace the system of multiple licenses with a single petroleum lease covering exploration, development, and production of all hydrocarbons, including shale.
The regulatory framework provides lease tenures of up to 30 years, which are extendable for the full economic life of a field.
Criminal penalties for violations have been removed and replaced with financial penalties of ₹25 lakh, plus ₹10 lakh per day for continuing breaches.
Applications for the grant of a petroleum lease must be decided within a time-bound period of 180 days.
The Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) is designated as the competent authority for offshore safety, audits, and standard-setting in exploration and production operations.
Environmental provisions mandate time-bound plans for zero gas flaring and reduced greenhouse emissions at oilfields.
The rules permit lessees to jointly develop or share infrastructure facilities by mutual agreement and require an annual declaration of infrastructure capacity.
The seat of arbitration for disputes involving foreign companies may be a neutral seat, while New Delhi is the seat for disputes where all lessees are Indian-incorporated companies.

Supreme Court height-based definition sparks Aravalli mining fears (End of December) ▼

The Supreme Court accepted a criterion that a landform with a rise of 100 metres from the surrounding ground qualifies as a hill or mountain.
The Aravalli range acts as a natural barrier against desertification, slows the eastward march of the Thar Desert, recharges groundwater, and moderates air pollution in the National Capital Region.
The Union government claims mining activity would be allowed in just 0.19 per cent of the Aravalli area and that nearly 90 per cent of the region remains fully protected.

NGT Zonal Bench Chennai convenes Regional Conference on Environment 2025 (Start of December) ▼

The Zonal Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), Chennai, is organizing the Regional Conference on Environment, 2025 on the 6th and 7th of December 2025.
The conference will include three Technical Sessions; The First session will address "Environmental Law Enforcement & Biodiversity Conservation Role of Regulatory Authorities".
The second session will discuss "Solid Waste and Biomedical Waste Management Policy Overview".
The Third session will focus on "Challenges in Protecting Coastal Zones".

Supreme Court Directs Jharkhand to Declare Saranda Forests as Wildlife Sanctuary and Conservation Reserve (Mid of November) ▼

The Supreme Court directed the Jharkhand government to declare the Saranda forests as a wildlife sanctuary and conservation reserve.
The directive prohibits any mining activity within a one-km radius of the boundary of the declared sanctuary and conservation reserve.
The bench directed the state government to notify the area comprising 126 compartments as notified in 1968 notification, excluding six compartments, as a wildlife sanctuary within three months from the date of the judgment.
The Supreme Court stated that the state cannot run away from its duty to declare the extent of 31,468.25 hectares as Saranda Wildlife Sanctuary, overruling the state’s plan to declare only a part of the forest as sanctuary.
The bench directed the state “to give wide publicity to the fact that by this judgment, neither the individual rights nor the community rights of the tribals and the forest dwellers in the said area would be adversely affected” and that “in view of the provision of… the Forest Rights Act, all rights of tribals and forest dwellers, both individually as well as of community, shall stand protected”.
The directive is based on “the mandate of Articles 48A and 51A(g) of the Constitution, Section 26A of the Wildlife Protection Act, and particularly in the light of the report of the Wildlife Institute of India”.
The top court reiterated its direction that “mining within the National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, and within an area of 1 km from the boundary of such National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary shall not be permissible.”
The National Wildlife Action Plan 2017-31 “recognises the need to enhance the protected area network (broadly including national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, community reserves etc.) and to demarcate boundaries for protected areas” and “further stresses on in situ conservation of threatened species, and the need for immediate conservation measures including the protection of critical habitations”.

IS 19262: 2025 ‘Electric Agricultural Tractors — Test Code’ released to ensure safety and performance standards

Key Updates:

The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution (MoCA,F&PD) released IS 19262: 2025 ‘Electric Agricultural Tractors — Test Code’ on 28 DEC 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the standard ensures the safety, reliability, and performance of electric agricultural tractors through uniform and standardized testing protocols.
IS 19262: 2025 establishes a common understanding among stakeholders regarding terminology and tests for PTO power, drawbar power, and the performance of belts and pulleys.
The standard was formulated following a request from the Mechanization & Technology Division of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW) to develop electric tractor standards on priority.
The implementation of the standard through authorized testing institutes aims to facilitate wider adoption of electric agricultural tractors and contribute to reduced emissions and sustainable mechanization.
The notification of this standard is voluntary and marks a step towards strengthening India’s standardization framework for emerging technologies in the agriculture sector.

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Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Phase-IV to connect 25,000 habitations with ₹70,125 Crore Outlay (End of December) ▼

The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) was launched on 25 December 2000 to ensure all-weather connectivity to previously unconnected rural habitations.
Under PMGSY Phase – IV (2024), a total road length of 62,500 kilometres is proposed to be constructed during the implementation period from FY 2024–25 to 2028–29, with an overall financial outlay of ₹70,125 crore.
Phase IV of the scheme aims to provide all-weather road connectivity to 25,000 unconnected rural habitations based on Census 2011 population criteria.
For the financial year 2025–26, the programme under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has been allocated ₹19,000 crore.
The Online Management, Monitoring, and Accounting System (OMMAS) enables real-time monitoring of all works under the PMGSY, ensuring physical and financial progress remains aligned with targets.
The Electronic Maintenance of PMGSY Roads (e-MARG) platform ensures systematic monitoring of road maintenance for a period of five years from the date of completion.
The Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA) covers 44 most severely affected districts across nine States including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.
A mandatory GPS-enabled Vehicle Tracking System (VTS) has been enforced since May 2022 on all vehicles and machinery deployed for PMGSY-III works to ensure transparency and quality standards.

Flex-Engine Ethanol Vehicles Roll-Out Announced by MoRTH (Start of December) ▼

Union Minister of Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH) announced government is rolling out flex-engine vehicles powered by ethanol.
100% ethanol is described as a green fuel that is cheap and causes no pollution.
Isobutanol derived from ethanol is being developed as an alternative to diesel.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi inaugurates Pellet Plant, lays foundation for Bio-Ethanol plant in Haryana (End of November) ▼

Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, inaugurated a pellet plant and laid the foundation stone of the K2 Bio Ethanol plant in the district of Rewari in Haryana.
The pellet plant is designed to produce 240 tonnes of pellets per day from stubble.
The plant aims to transform crop residue into ethanol, biomass pellets, and rural jobs to support India’s E20 Mission and Net Zero 2070 goals.
The new pellet plant will use agricultural residues such as paddy straw, mustard straw, and cotton stalks to manufacture biomass pellets for thermal power co-firing.
Under a new policy, the government has made biomass and Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) co-firing mandatory for all thermal plants to save the environment.

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.

Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme (SBFAS) and Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS) notified with ₹44,700 Crore Outlay

Key Updates:

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) notified the operational guidelines for the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme (SBFAS) and the Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS) to strengthen domestic shipbuilding capacity.
The total approved outlay for the initiatives is ₹44,700 crore, comprising ₹24,736 crore for SBFAS and ₹19,989 crore for SbDS.
Under SBFAS, the government will provide financial assistance ranging from 15% to 25% per vessel, depending on the vessel category, with stage-wise disbursement linked to defined milestones.
The SBFAS introduces a Shipbreaking Credit Note, providing ship owners scrapping vessels at Indian yards a credit equivalent to 40% of the scrap value to support a circular economy.
The SbDS provides 100% capital support for common maritime and internal infrastructure in greenfield shipbuilding clusters through a 50:50 Centre–State special purpose vehicle.
Existing shipyards are eligible for 25% capital assistance under SbDS for brownfield expansion of critical infrastructure such as dry docks, shiplifts, and automation systems.
The schemes include the establishment of a National Shipbuilding Mission and an India Ship Technology Centre under the Indian Maritime University to support research, design, and innovation.
Both schemes will remain valid until March 31, 2036, with an in-principle extension envisaged up to 2047 to help India's commercial shipbuilding capacity rise to 4.5 million gross tonnage per annum.

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MDL and Swan Defence sign pact for Indian Navy LPDs (End of October) ▼

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) signed an agreement with Swan Defence and Heavy Industries for collaboration in the design and construction of Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) for the Indian Navy.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accorded approval for the acquisition of LPDs for amphibious operations and HADR missions.
Swan Defence will provide its shipbuilding infrastructure - the largest in the country - while MDL contributes ship design, project management, and system integration expertise.

New Mangalore Port Authority Golden Jubilee: Rs 1,500-cr Infrastructure & CSR Projects Unveiled (Mid of November) ▼

Implementing Agency: New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
Financial Outlay: 16 infrastructure and 113 CSR projects collectively valued at Rs 1,500 crore announced during the golden-jubilee celebration.
Strategic Objective: Projects align with Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 to expand India’s maritime infrastructure.
Green Initiative: NMPA currently operates on 100% solar power and is transitioning further toward green energy.
Future Cargo Target: Port presently handles over 46 million tonnes annually, with plans to double capacity to 100 million tonnes by 2047.
Upcoming Investment: India Maritime Week 2025 is expected to bring additional MoUs worth Rs 52,000 crore for the port sector.

Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu assumed charge as Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition (CWP&A) (Start of December) ▼

Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, AVSM, NM assumed charge as Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition (CWP&A).
He succeeds Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, AVSM, NM, who is retiring on 30 November 2025 after 38 years of distinguished service.
He has been awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal and the Nao Sena Medal.
He has the rare distinction of heading two major dockyards on both the Western and Eastern Coasts.
During the tenure of Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, eight ships were inducted into the Indian Navy.
Prior to assuming charge of the CWP&A, he served as the Program Director of the Advanced Technology Vessel Program in New Delhi.

Navy commissions ‘silent hunter’ INS Mahe; Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi says armed forces’ strength lies in synergy (End of November) ▼

The Indian Navy commissioned INS Mahe, its first indigenous Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC).
INS Mahe was commissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai with over 80 per cent indigenous parts after two years of rigorous sea trials.
Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi was the chief guest, marking the first time an Army Chief attended a naval commissioning ceremony.
General Dwivedi stated that the induction of INS Mahe reflects the nation’s growing ability to design, construct, and deploy complex warships using indigenous technology.
General Dwivedi emphasized that the strength of armed forces lies in synergy, quoting Helen Keller: "Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much."
He highlighted that the sea, land, and the skies form a single continuum of national security, and together, the Army-Navy and Air Force form the trinity of India’s strategic strength.
INS Mahe is the first of the Mahe-class ASW-SWCs, described as sleek, swift, and resolutely Indian.
INS Mahe will operate as a “silent hunter” on the western seaboard, dedicated to safeguarding India’s maritime frontiers.
The ship’s construction began at the Cochin Shipyard, with the steel-cutting ceremony held in December 2020, keel laying on August 30, 2022, launch in November 2023, first sea sortie in May this year, and handover to the Navy on October 23.
The ship is named after Mahe, a serene coastal enclave on the Malabar coast that forms part of the Union Territory of Puducherry.
An earlier Soviet-built coastal minesweeper, also named INS Mahe, entered service in 1983 and was decommissioned in 2006 after 23 years of service.

Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) expands to Odisha and Delhi with Rs 5 lakh annual health cover

[Odisha, Delhi]

Key Updates:

Odisha and Delhi signed MoU with the health ministry for implementation of AB-PMJAY, leaving only West Bengal outside the scheme’s coverage.
Ayushman Vay Vandana cards provide free treatment benefits up to Rs 5 lakh per year to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of socio-economic status.
An Android-based ‘Ayushman app’ launched by National Health Authority enables self-verification and supports face-auth, OTP, IRIS, and fingerprint modes for Ayushman card creation.

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Asian Development Bank (ADB) commits USD 4.26 billion sovereign lending to India in 2025 (End of December) ▼

ADB committed USD 4.258 billion in sovereign lending to India in 2025.
Nearly 32 per cent of ADB's 16 newly committed projects focus on the human and social development sector.
26 per cent of the projects are in the energy sector, primarily advancing renewable energy.
Over 18 per cent of the projects are in urban development.
USD 846 million financing is allocated for PM-SETU, India's flagship skilling programme.
USD 650 million is provided to support PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana for rooftop solar adoption.
USD 775 million is committed for five urban projects in Assam, Kerala, Sikkim, and West Bengal.
USD 729 million is committed to expand regional rapid rail in Delhi-Meerut and metro networks in Chennai and Indore.
USD 460 million loan is provided to Maharashtra to modernise rural power infrastructure and improve solar electricity for irrigation.
USD 398.8 million loan is provided to Assam to modernise its healthcare and medical education systems.
Over USD 200 million in loans is provided to Meghalaya and Uttarakhand for ecotourism development.

Odisha to Host India’s Energy COP: Global Energy Leaders’ Summit (GELS) 2025 in Puri from December 5 to 7 (Start of December) ▼

The Global Energy Leaders’ Summit (GELS) 2025 is set to convene in Puri, Odisha, from December 5 to 7.
Positioned as 'a COP for India’s energy sector,' the Summit will bring together policymakers, international experts, and industry leaders.
The summit’s theme is “Powering India: Sufficiency, Balance, Innovation”.
GELS 2025 aims to create a structured platform for meaningful engagement among the Union Government, nearly 15 States, and over 30 national and international energy experts.
The Summit is organised with the Tony Blair Institute and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, aligned with India’s Net Zero 2070 vision.
Key participants include Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo, Principal secretary (energy) Vishal Kumar Dev, NITI Aayog Chief Executive Officer (CEO) B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, Union energy minister Pralhad Joshi, and Chief Ministers from Himachal Pradesh and Chhattisgarh.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will inaugurate the Summit on December 6.

PMVBRY Scheme: Union Minister Urges States to Align Employment Programmes for Synergy (Mid of November) ▼

Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY) launched in August this year with an outlay of nearly Rs 1 lakh crore to create 3.5 crore formal jobs.
Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya urged states to align their employment programmes with PMVBRY for maximum synergy and impact.
Labour Chowk Facilitation Centres (LCFCs) model being developed to convert unsafe roadside gathering points into structured hubs offering shelter, drinking water, sanitation, and direct access to welfare services.
Digital Labour Chowk mobile application launched as a multilingual platform to connect workers with employers digitally for transparent job matching.
Online Building and Construction Worker (BOCW) cess collection portal introduced for automatic cess calculation, online payment, and real-time monitoring.

Andhra Pradesh Secures Over Rs 13 Lakh Crore Investment Commitments at CII Summit (Mid of November) ▼

Andhra Pradesh has seen over Rs 13 lakh crore investment commitments.
The summit has been instrumental in attracting over Rs 13 lakh crore worth of investment agreements, backed by nearly 640 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs).
The commitments are expected to generate approximately 16.3 lakh jobs across sectors.
Energy emerged as the largest investment category, accounting for Rs 5.3 lakh crore of the total commitments.
Reliance Industries announced plans for a 1 gigawatt (GW) Artificial Intelligence Data Centre alongside a 6 gigawatt peak (GWp) solar facility.
Alphabet, Google’s parent firm, plans to invest $15 billion in Andhra Pradesh to build a major AI data hub center in the state.
Adani Group announced an investment commitment of Rs 1 lakh crore over the next decade across renewable energy, ports, logistics and digital infrastructure.
The combined infrastructure initiative for Drone City in Kurnool and the Twin Space Cities in Sri Sathyasai and Tirupati carries a projected Rs 25,000 crore investment value.
The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) finalised agreements to establish a 1,200 megawatt-hour (MWh) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Nandyal and a 50 megawatt (MW) hybrid solar plant.
The Raymond Group announced a Rs 1,201 crore expansion plan covering apparel production, automotive component manufacturing and aerospace engineering.
The state approved 12 new projects valued at Rs 2,320 crore as part of the Sri City industrial cluster expansion.

e-Swasthya Samvad: Strengthening Governance in Medical Education

[Rajasthan]

Key Updates:

The Rajasthan government has launched a new digital communication platform, 'e-Swasthya Samvad (ESS)', to improve governance, transparency and coordination in the Medical Education Department (MED).
The initiative has been introduced under the direction of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and Medical Education Minister Gajendra Singh Khimsar as part of efforts to strengthen health services through technology-driven reforms.
The platform would function as a dedicated digital interface connecting all stakeholders associated with medical education and health services, enabling faster decision-making and effective implementation of health programmes.
The interaction will be held in two phases, including an open interaction with faculty members, doctors, nursing staff, students and the public from 6 pm.
Medical Education Commissioner Naresh Goyal said 'e-Swasthya Samvad' will be conducted twice a week -- every Tuesday and Thursday -- through video conferencing.
Decisions taken during meetings will be recorded instantly, and concerned officials will be required to submit action taken reports within 72 hours.
The platform was launched on Dec 29, 2025, to facilitate discussions on budget announcements, implementation of health schemes, and infrastructure projects.

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Himachal Pradesh's DDT&G's DigiLocker Integration Initiative (Start of November) ▼

**Initiative/Integration:** Integration of eDistrict Services, HIMParivar, and HimAccess Cards on the DigiLocker platform.
**Implementing Body/State:** Department of Digital Technologies and Governance (DDT&G) of Himachal Pradesh.
**Key Feature/Scope:** Integration of 51 eDistrict Services, HIMParivar, and HimAccess Cards on DigiLocker.
**Main Objective:** To enhance digital governance and facilitate seamless access to government services for citizens.

TCoE Launches Samriddh Gram Phygital Pilot to Digitally Empower Rural India (End of October) ▼

The Telecom Centres of Excellence TCoE has signed agreements with leading implementation partners to roll out the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot.
The initiative is designed to seamlessly integrate physical infrastructure with digital services across rural communities, leveraging BharatNet connectivity to deliver essential citizen-centric services, bridging the urban-rural digital divide and driving sustainable development at the grassroots level.
The Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot represents a bold new model of “phygital transformation,” merging physical presence with digital platforms.
The Department of Telecommunications DoT has identified three pilot villages for this initiative: Chaksu, Rajasthan; Khatav, Maharashtra; and Kolar, Karnataka.
Each of these villages will host a Samriddhi Kendra—a state-of-the-art integrated service hub that serves as the focal point for local citizens to access digital education, healthcare, governance, and economic opportunities.
Each Samriddhi Kendra will act as a comprehensive service hub, integrating multiple sectors through digital innovation, including Education and Skilling, Agriculture, Healthcare, e-Governance, E-Commerce and Entrepreneurship, Financial Inclusion, and Connectivity Backbone.
The implementation partners for the pilot include: Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M), Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D), Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B), Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIM-C), National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), and National Institute of Smart Governance (NISG).
Following successful implementation and impact evaluation, the model is expected to be scaled up nationwide, with plans to establish hundreds of Samriddhi Kendras across India’s 6 lakh villages.

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.

Thailand and Cambodia sign ceasefire agreement after weeks of deadly border fighting

[Thailand, Cambodia]

Key Updates:

Thailand and Cambodia signed a ceasefire agreement that took effect at noon local time, calling for a halt in military movements and airspace violations for military purposes.
The agreement was signed by Cambodia's Defense Minister Tea Seiha and Thailand's Defense Minister Nattaphon Narkphanit at a border checkpoint in Chanthaburi Province, Thailand.
The deal includes a provision for Thailand to repatriate 18 Cambodian soldiers held as prisoners since earlier fighting in July, contingent on the ceasefire holding for 72 hours.
The agreement reaffirms commitment to an earlier ceasefire brokered by Malaysia and pushed by U.S. President Donald Trump, formalized in October at a regional meeting in Malaysia.
Both sides agreed to joint humanitarian demining operations and to refrain from disseminating false information or fake news.
The agreement also calls for resumption of previous measures to demarcate the border and cooperation in suppressing transnational crimes, particularly online scams.

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Thailand dissolves House of Representatives for early-year election amid Cambodia border conflict (Mid of December) ▼

Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul dissolved the House of Representatives after obtaining approval from King Maha Vajiralakorn, with the Royal Gazette publishing the endorsement on Friday.
The election must be held 45–60 days after the royal endorsement, during which Anutin remains caretaker premier with limited powers.
The dissolution follows a threatened no-confidence vote by the People’s Party after Bhumjaithai lawmakers backed a constitutional-amendment bill, contrary to the September agreement to hold a referendum on drafting a new constitution.
Thailand is engaged in large-scale combat with Cambodia over disputed border claims, with more than two dozen reported killed and hundreds of thousands displaced this week.
US President Donald Trump previously secured a July ceasefire by threatening trade-privilege withdrawal and has renewed peace efforts after the latest flare-up.

Thailand officially opens 33rd Southeast Asian Games (Mid of December) ▼

Their Majesties The King and Queen opened the 33rd Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok.
The opening ceremony at Rajamangala National Stadium drew 33,000 fans.
Thailand fields the largest contingent of 1,531 athletes competing in 574 medal events across 50 sports.
Athletes from 11 Southeast Asian nations are participating in the games.

India and Brunei hold inaugural Joint Working Group meeting on Defence Cooperation on Dec 10 2025 (Mid of December) ▼

The inaugural meeting of the India-Brunei Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Cooperation was held in New Delhi, marking a key step in advancing defence engagement between the two countries.
The Ministry of Defence said the talks centred on expanding military-to-military exchanges and joint training, strengthening maritime security cooperation with a focus on sea lane safety and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), enhancing capacity-building initiatives, and identifying opportunities for industry partnerships and technology cooperation.
The meeting was co-chaired by Amitabh Prasad, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, and Poh Kui Choon, Deputy Permanent Secretary in Brunei's Ministry of Defence.
Before the deliberations began, both sides signed the Terms of Reference (ToR), formally establishing the JWG on Defence Cooperation.
During her two-day visit, Choon also met Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi, adding a diplomatic dimension to the technical discussions held under the JWG.
Both delegations noted the increasing momentum in defence cooperation and agreed to pursue a structured roadmap under the JWG mechanism.
They also reaffirmed their shared commitment to peace, stability and a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.

47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur: New Member, Border Deal, and Discussions on Tariffs and Regional Conflicts (End of October) ▼

The 47th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is taking place.
The summit is being held in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur for a three-day period from Sunday to Tuesday.
This year, ASEAN will induct its 11th member, East Timor.
The ASEAN summit is accompanied annually by the East Asia Summit, a gathering of leaders of the ASEAN nations, the US, China, India, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
A peace deal is to be signed on Sunday between Cambodia and Thailand to end a deadly border dispute, with the ceremony presided over by US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The ASEAN summit will discuss pressing issues like US tariffs, access to rare earth minerals, Myanmar’s civil war, and the proliferation of scam centres in Southeast Asia.
Myanmar’s acting president will not attend the ASEAN summit, and the Philippines will take the helm as next year’s ASEAN chair instead of Myanmar.

North Korea conducts long-range strategic cruise missile drill under Kim Jong Un

[North Korea]

Key Updates:

Kim Jong Un oversaw a long-range strategic cruise missile launching drill, state media KCNA reported.
The cruise missiles flew along their preset orbit above the sea west of the Korean Peninsula and accurately hit their targets.
Kim described the missile test as 'just a responsible exercise' given that the country 'is facing various security threats.'
Kim urged 'unlimited and sustained' development of the country's nuclear weapons forces.
State media photos showed Kim inspecting a nearly completed 8,700-ton hull at a shipyard, indicating progress on North Korea's first nuclear-powered submarine.
South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is expected to seek China's cooperation on addressing Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions during his planned visit to China.
Japan, South Korea, and the United States have conducted expanded joint air drills, including US B-52 bombers flying with Japanese fighter jets over the Sea of Japan.

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India test fires 3,500-km K-4 missile from nuclear-powered submarine INS Arighaat on December 25, 2025 (End of December) ▼

India tested an intermediate-range ballistic missile called K-4, which is designed to hit targets 3,500-km away, from the nuclear-powered submarine INS Arighaat in the Bay of Bengal on Tuesday.
The solid-fuelled K-4 can carry a two-tonne nuclear payload and is critical for India to strengthen the sea leg of its nuclear weapons triad.
INS Arighaat, the country's second nuclear-powered submarine with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles (called SSBN in naval parlance), was commissioned on Aug 29 last year.
India will commission its third SSBN as INS Aridhaman in the first quarter of 2026 and the fourth in 2027-28 under the secretive over Rs 90,000 crore ATV (advanced technology vessel) programme launched decades ago.
The operational deployment of K-4 missiles, which will be followed by the K-5 and K-6 missiles in the 5,000 to 6,000-km range class, will somewhat help India narrow the huge gap with countries like the US, Russia and China.
Her forerunner INS Arihant, which became fully operational in 2018, can carry only the 750-km range K-15 missiles.
The SSBNs impart India's deterrence posture with much more credibility because they are considered the most secure, survivable and potent platforms for retaliatory strikes in line with the country's 'no first-use' policy.

USAF conducts Minuteman III ICBM test 'GT 254' from Vandenberg SFB (Start of November) ▼

Test Name: GT 254 – an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM operational test launched by Air Force Global Strike Command
Launch Site & Recovery: Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif.; impacted ~4,200 miles away at Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands
Command Method: Remotely launched by AFGSC Airmen via a U.S. Navy E-6B Mercury aircraft as airborne backup command-and-control
Purpose: Verify ICBM reliability, accuracy, and collect data to mitigate risks; supports transition assessment to next-generation LGM-35A Sentinel

Russia tests nuclear-powered underwater drone ‘Poseidon’ defying Trump (End of October) ▼

"Russia has successfully tested a nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered underwater drone, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday, defying US President Donald Trump’s warnings..."
"President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday announced that Russia has successfully conducted a test of its nuclear-powered submersible drone, Poseidon, which he described as having unlimited range."
"The Russian leader said there was “no way to intercept” the drone torpedo, which, according to Putin, can travel at a speed higher than conventional submarines and reach any continent in the world."
"The device can operate at a depth of more than one kilometre (0.6 mile) and travel at speeds of up to 70 knots while remaining undetectable, according to a source in the Russian military-industrial complex quoted by state news agency TASS."
"First tested in 2018, it is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead of up to two megatons, the source told TASS."
"Putin on Sunday oversaw a test of another advanced nuclear-capable weapon – the Burevestnik cruise missile, which he said had an “unlimited range”."
"The US president last week scrapped a planned summit with Putin in Budapest over what he cast as the Russian leader’s unwillingness to compromise to end the conflict."

Indian Army's Southern Command conducts successful long-range precision launch of BrahMos missile (Start of December) ▼

The Southern Command of the Indian Army successfully carried out a long range precision launch of the BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile from a test range in the Bay of Bengal.
The launch was executed in a coordinated mission involving a BrahMos unit of the Southern Command and elements of the Tri-Services Andaman and Nicobar Command.
BrahMos Aerospace, which has designed and developed the missile, is a joint venture between Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM).
BrahMos is an amalgamation of the names of Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers.
The first successful test of the missile was conducted on June 12, 2001, from the specially designed land based launcher at the Integrated Test Range off the Chandipur coast of Odisha.
BrahMos saw first induction into the Indian Navy in 2005, into the Indian Army in 2007 and first successful flight from Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter in 2017.
The achievement is a testament to India’s commitment to self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

China's People's Liberation Army Eastern Theater Command launches Just Mission 2025 live-fire drills around Taiwan

[China]

Key Updates:

The Chinese military's Eastern Theater Command announced 'Just Mission 2025' live-fire drills to the north and southwest of the Taiwan Strait, involving air, navy and rocket troops.
Taiwan detected at least 14 Chinese naval vessels, 14 coast guard ships and 89 aircraft, 67 of which entered Taiwan’s response zones.
The drills included fighter jets, bombers, unmanned aerial vehicles and long-range rockets, and practised strikes on land and maritime targets.
China stated the drills serve 'as a serious warning to Taiwan Independence separatist forces and external interference forces'.
Taiwan’s defence ministry posted a video showcasing US-made HIMARS rocket systems capable of hitting coastal targets in China’s Fujian province.
The exercises forced diversion of commercial flights, impacting more than 100,000 international and 6,000 domestic passengers.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian warned that 'external forces attempting to use Taiwan to contain China and arm Taiwan will only embolden pro-independence arrogance'.
Taiwan’s President William Lai Ching-te said the island must 'keep raising the difficulty so that China can never meet that standard' for invasion.

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Australia, India, Japan, and United States conduct 1st Field Training Exercise (FTX) at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam (End of December) ▼

Quad partners, Australia, India, Japan and the United States (US), successfully conducted their first Field Training Exercise (FTX) on the sidelines of Operation Christmas Drop at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam as part of the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network (IPLN).
The exercise was conducted from 8th to 12th December to strengthen the Quad partners’ disaster response capacity.
The IPLN is an initiative that enables Quad partners to "leverage shared logistics capabilities to support civilian response to large-scale natural disasters more rapidly and efficiently across the Indo-Pacific."
Training activities included boarding a Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) C-130H transport aircraft to enhance interoperability and coordination.
The FTX reflected the Quad’s commitment to "strengthening practical cooperation to address regional challenges and to ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific."

US and China Discuss Direct Military Channels (Start of November) ▼

The U.S. and China have agreed that the two countries should set up military-to-military channels.
U.S. Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth met with his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun.
The meeting between U.S. Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth and China's Minister of National Defense Admiral Dong Jun took place in Malaysia.
The purpose of these channels is to reduce conflict and deescalate any problems that arise in the future.
The meeting followed President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese Chairman Xi Jinping in South Korea.
U.S. and Chinese officials would have more meetings about setting up the channels.

India issues NOTAM for large-scale IAF exercise across Northeast (Start of November) ▼

NOTAMs issued for IAF exercise covering entire northeastern region bordering China, Bhutan, Myanmar and Bangladesh
Active NOTAM dates: November 6 & 20; December 4 & 18; January 1 & 15
Exercise involves extensive combat training, coordinated sorties and logistics exercises at forward bases

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.

Poland to build $2.2 bn multi-layered anti-drone defences to counter Russian threat

[Poland, Russia]

Key Updates:

Poland is set to build a roughly $2.2 billion multi-layered anti-drone fortification along its eastern border.
The system will integrate drone-jamming systems, machine guns, cannons and missiles.
First capabilities are expected in roughly six months, with full completion targeted within 24 months.
Most of the cost will be covered by European funds under the SAFE defence loan programme, with additional contributions from Poland’s own defence budget.

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Poland launches new "wGotowości" military training programme (Start of November) ▼

Poland has unveiled a new programme of universal and voluntary military training called "wGotowości" (mReadiness).
The programme was announced by Chief of General Staff Gen Wieslaw Kukuła, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, and Deputy Head of the Ministry of Defence Cezary Tomczyk.
Its objectives are to strengthen the individual resilience of citizens and the availability, resilience and competence of the reserves, with a fundamental goal to build deterrence capability.
The training will cover practical skills such as first aid, crisis survival, cyber hygiene and security basics.
The sessions are one-day and will be held on weekends, as close to home as possible, with participants able to choose a military unit.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated that the wGotowości programme is unique in NATO.

Leonardo Unveils AI-Powered Michelangelo Dome (End of November) ▼

The ‘Michelangelo Dome’ is designed to protect critical European infrastructure against evolving security threats, including hypersonic missiles and drone swarms.
Italian defence company Leonardo has unveiled plans for a shield powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to protect cities and critical infrastructure.
The shield was developed to protect critical infrastructure, sensitive urban areas, and assets of national and European strategic importance.
The Michelangelo Dome integrates next-generation sensors across land, naval, air, and space domains, as well as cyber defence platforms, command-and-control systems, and AI.
This system creates a security umbrella that can detect, track, and neutralise a wide variety of threats, including hypersonic missiles, drone swarms, surface and subsurface maritime attacks, and hostile ground forces.
It uses multiple sensors and predictive algorithms to anticipate hostile activity and automatically coordinate which countermeasures will be most effective.
Europe announced a Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI) aimed at enhancing the continent’s protection from aerial threats.

Ukraine to acquire French Rafale fighter jets and air defence systems (Mid of November) ▼

Ukraine will get up to 100 of France's Rafale F4 fighter jets as well as advanced air defence systems in a major deal.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed the letter of intent with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at an air base near Paris.
Deliveries of the Rafale F4's are planned to be completed by 2035.
The joint production of interceptor drones is starting this year.
This is a strategic agreement which will last for 10 years starting from the next year.
Ukraine would also get 'very strong French radars', eight air defence systems and other advanced weaponry.
Financial details are yet to be worked out, but reports say France plans to attract EU financing and also access frozen Russian assets.

Zen Technologies Secures Defence Ministry Orders for Anti-Drone System Upgrades (Start of November) ▼

Zen Technologies Ltd. announced that it has won two orders to upgrade anti-drone systems from the Ministry of Defence.
The orders are worth ₹ 289 crore.
The orders will be executed within a year.
The company is Hyderabad-based.
The order was awarded by a domestic entity.
The company clarified that the order does not involve any related-party transactions.
The promoters or promoter group do not have any interest in the entity.

Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accords Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for Armed Forces proposals worth Rs 79,000 crore

Key Updates:

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh: 'The decisions taken today will help in enhancing operational capabilities of the Armed Forces.'
AoN approved for Loiter Munition System for Artillery Regiments, Low Level Light Weight Radars, Long Range Guided Rocket Ammunition for Pinaka MRLS, and Integrated Drone Detection & Interdiction System Mk-II for Indian Army.
For Indian Navy: AoN accorded for procurement of Bollard Pull (BP) Tugs, High Frequency Software Defined Radios (HF SDR) Manpack, and leasing High Altitude Long Range (HALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS).
For Indian Air Force: AoN approved for Automatic Take-off Landing Recording System, Astra Mk-II Missiles, Full Mission Simulator for LCA Tejas, and SPICE-1000 Long Range Guidance Kits.

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Defence Research and Development Organisation and Rashtriya Raksha University sign MoU to strengthen defence and security collaboration (End of December) ▼

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to foster collaboration in research, education, training and technology support for defence & internal security.
The MoU was inked by Distinguished Scientist & Director General (Production Coordination & Services Interaction) Chandrika Kaushik and Vice Chancellor, RRU Prof Bimal N Patel in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at South Block, New Delhi.
The collaboration aims to strengthen India's self-reliance in defence and internal security technologies in line with the national vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Under the MoU, joint research projects, PhD & fellowship programmes and specialised training & capacity-building programmes for security forces will be undertaken.

Indian Army and Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT) sign MoU for AI and software development (End of December) ▼

The Indian Army signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT) to collaborate in the development of software and AI-based solutions for the army.
Under the MoU, the students and the faculty of NSUT will participate in live problem-solving projects of Indian Army and get hands on experience.
NSUT will also facilitate capacity building through Faculty Development Programmes (FDPs) and tailor-made programmes for Indian Army, strengthening indigenous innovation-driven defence preparedness.
The Army will get around 850 loitering munitions along with launchers from indigenous sources under fast-track procedures to equip all three defence forces and special forces.
The Army infantry battalions will now have one Ashni platoon each, which will be responsible for operating drones to be used against enemy locations and also in counterinsurgency roles.

Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) transfers seven indigenous technologies to Indian Armed Forces and approves 12 new defence projects (Start of December) ▼

DRDO has handed over seven cutting-edge technologies developed under the Technology Development Fund (TDF) scheme to the three Services.
Technologies include an indigenous high-voltage power supply for airborne self-protection jammers, a tide-efficient gangway for naval jetties, advanced very low frequency–high frequency switching matrix systems, VLF loop aerials for underwater platforms, an indigenous waterjet propulsion system for fast interceptor craft, a novel process for recovery of lithium precursors from used lithium-ion batteries, and a long-life seawater battery system for sustained underwater sensing and surveillance applications.
The handover took place at the meeting of the Empowered Committee of DRDO, held at DRDO Bhawan, New Delhi, under the chairmanship of Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V. Kamat.
The Committee approved 12 new projects spanning strategic, aerospace, naval and electronic warfare technologies.

India, US Sign 10-Year Framework Pact for Defence Partnership (Start of November) ▼

India and the US signed a framework agreement for a major defence partnership.
The agreement gives a roadmap for cooperation over the next 10 years.
It includes jointly pursuing capacity building for like-minded partners in Asia, Africa and island countries in the Indian Ocean Region.
The framework will enable collaboration on global challenges like space and missile defence, preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
It will prioritise export licence approvals for weapons and support India's development as a logistics, maintenance, repair and overhaul hub.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh and US secretary of war Pete Hegseth met on the sidelines of the 12th Asean Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus in Kuala Lumpur.
The new framework will reflect common defence priorities like safeguarding a free and open Indo-Pacific region, strengthening interoperability across all domains, expanding collaboration with like-minded nations through forums like the Quad and defeating terrorism in all forms.
The last 10-year agreement was signed in June 2015.

Indian Air Force Software Development Institute and IIT Madras sign MoU for indigenous airborne communication system

[Indian Institute of Technology Madras]

Key Updates:

The IAF's Software Development Institute (SDI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT-Madras for the joint design and development of an indigenous digital communication system for airborne applications.
The MoU was signed by Air Vice Marshal R Guruhari, Commandant, SDI; Prof V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras and Dr M J Shankar Raman, CEO, Pravartak Technologies Foundation.
The collaboration aims to develop advanced algorithms for networking and encryption critical for secure, reliable, and high-performance data exchange in dynamic airborne environments.
Key focus areas include advanced encryption protocols, secure data transmission, resilience against threats, scalability for airborne networks, and integration with existing defence systems.

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Indian Air Force hosts Exercise AviaIndra-2025 with Russian Federation Aerospace Force (Mid of December) ▼

Exercise AviaIndra-2025 is being hosted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) with the Russian Federation Aerospace Force (RFASF) from 15 to 22 December.
The exercise is part of the AviaIndra series which began in 2014.
Personnel from both forces will conduct joint flying operations on Su-30 MKI, Tejas, IL-78 aircraft, and Mi-17 helicopters.
The exercise aims to enhance bilateral cooperation, mutual understanding, and aerospace synergy between India and Russia.

Indian Army inks MoU via 515 Army Base Workshop to fast-track indigenous land-system drones (Mid of December) ▼

The MoU was signed between the 515 Army Base Workshop, acting on behalf of the Integrated Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence (Army) and the Directorate General of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, and Raghu Vamsi Par East Automation Pvt Ltd.
The partnership establishes a pathway from evaluation to field induction and scaling up of drone technologies, aligned with operational requirements and indigenous manufacturing goals.
The MoU focuses on technology infusion in drone manufacturing, with emphasis on IC engine-based drones and systems capable of operating in GPS-denied environments.
Raghu Vamsi Par East will provide technical consultancy to the Army Base Workshop for comprehensive evaluation of drone technologies including subsystem reviews, integration readiness assessments and compliance with Army standards.

Indian Army and Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT) sign MoU for AI and software development (End of December) ▼

The Indian Army signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT) to collaborate in the development of software and AI-based solutions for the army.
Under the MoU, the students and the faculty of NSUT will participate in live problem-solving projects of Indian Army and get hands on experience.
NSUT will also facilitate capacity building through Faculty Development Programmes (FDPs) and tailor-made programmes for Indian Army, strengthening indigenous innovation-driven defence preparedness.
The Army will get around 850 loitering munitions along with launchers from indigenous sources under fast-track procedures to equip all three defence forces and special forces.
The Army infantry battalions will now have one Ashni platoon each, which will be responsible for operating drones to be used against enemy locations and also in counterinsurgency roles.

Apollo Micro Systems Ltd signs tri-party MoU with IIT-Chennai and Indian Navy for defence technology development (Start of December) ▼

Apollo Micro Systems Ltd has entered a tri-party alliance with IIT-Chennai and the Indian Navy to accelerate indigenous defence technology development.
The MoU focuses on addressing and solving the present and future problem statements of the Armed Forces through indigenous research and development.
The partnership focuses on high-technology areas critical to modern warfare, including advanced electronic warfare systems, precision guidance and control systems and high-energy armament solutions, and not limited to them.
IIT-Chennai will serve as the research anchor and focus on developing the technologies and intellectual property.
Apollo Micro Systems will act as the technology development and manufacturing partner to convert laboratory-scale research into battlefield-ready products.
The Directorate General of Naval Armament Inspection will provide domain expertise and operational insights and assist in testing the developed products.
The partnership with IIT-Chennai will further be extended for other technologically advanced products developed for the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Space and other applications across domains.

Adani Group partners Vidya Pratishthan to launch Sharadchandra Pawar Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence in Baramati

[Adani Group]

Key Updates:

The Sharadchandra Pawar Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence has been established under Vidya Pratishthan, Baramati, Maharashtra with funding from Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani.
An MoU has been formally signed between Adani Group and Vidya Pratishthan to enhance AI collaboration.
This partnership is a commitment to build applied technological capability, where AI research, engineering, and execution move together in an integrated fashion.

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Dr. S. Jaishankar, Prof. Jeffrey Ullman, Prof. Subra Suresh, Dr. Vidita Vaidya to deliver Spotlight Lectures at IIT Madras Shaastra 2026 (End of December) ▼

Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India, will deliver a Spotlight Lecture at Shaastra 2026 organised by Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras).
Prof. Jeffrey Ullman, Turing Award recipient, will deliver a Spotlight Lecture at Shaastra 2026 organised by IIT Madras.
Prof. Subra Suresh, former Director of the US National Science Foundation, will deliver a Spotlight Lecture at Shaastra 2026 organised by IIT Madras.
Dr. Vidita Vaidya, Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize awardee, will deliver a Spotlight Lecture at Shaastra 2026 organised by IIT Madras.

NCBS, ICTS Launch CALIBRE to Advance AI-led Biology Research in India (End of October) ▼

The National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) and the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS), both centres under the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in Bengaluru, have announced the establishment of a new research facility — the Centre for Artificial Learning and Intelligence for Biological Research and Education (CALIBRE).
The centre will be supported by a Rs 25 crore contribution from Vishal Gupta, founder of Reed India Consulting LLP, and Deepshikha Gupta.
CALIBRE will focus on integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into biological research and education, creating tools, infrastructure, and training programmes tailored to India’s scientific landscape.
CALIBRE aims to fill a gap in developing AI tools that address India's unique biodiversity, health, and environmental challenges by building AI platforms suited to Indian data, problems, and research priorities.
Described as a national hub where “biological insight meets AI innovation”, the centre will be based at NCBS and will work closely with ICTS to bridge the worlds of data science and life sciences.
Beyond research, CALIBRE will provide education and training to help Indian scientists use AI effectively in biological work and will also create Chair Professorships and Research Travel Fellowships to support young researchers.
By combining the computational expertise of ICTS with the biological strengths of NCBS, CALIBRE seeks to place India at the forefront of AI-driven biological research, linking fundamental discovery with practical applications across health, agriculture, and environment.

IBM and AICTE establish National AI Lab at AICTE headquarters to upskill Indian talent (Start of November) ▼

IBM and AICTE collaborate to establish a state-of-the-art National AI Lab at AICTE Headquarters in New Delhi
The lab will serve as a national hub for AI research, skilling, and innovation, equipped with advanced computing infrastructure and AI software platforms
IBM SkillsBuild, offering over 1,000 free AI and technical courses, will be central to the initiative
The collaboration supports IBM’s global commitment to skill 30 million people by 2030, including 2 million in AI by 2026
The lab will provide training programs, in-person workshops, AI mentorship, project-based learning, and innovation challenges aligned with future skill needs in AI, cloud, and sustainability

IndiaAI Mission, MeitY and Government of Meghalaya host first Regional AI Impact Conference 2025 in Shillong (Start of December) ▼

The IndiaAI Mission and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Information Technology & Communications Department, Government of Meghalaya, and IIM Shillong, organised the first Regional AI Impact Conference 2025 in Shillong.
The conference theme was 'Artificial Intelligence for Citizen Empowerment: Smarter Governance, Better Lives'.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated, 'Our mission is to democratize AI so that every citizen can access its benefits.'
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma unveiled three initiatives: the BHASHINI Hackathon for Khasi and Garo language model training; MeghDEE for co-creating digital innovation; and the DRISHTI-NE Hackathon for youth AI innovation.
An MoU was signed between the Information Technology & Communication Department, Government of Meghalaya, and the IndiaAI Mission for establishing two Data & AI Labs in the state.
Another MoU was signed between the same department and MATH T-Hub for setting up a Satellite Incubation Centre in Shillong.
The event serves as a precursor to the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled in New Delhi from February 15-20, 2026.

Christian Aid pegs 2025 climate-disaster bill above USD 122 billion

Key Updates:

Heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, and storms cost the world more than USD 120 billion in 2025.
The single costliest event, California wildfires, caused USD 60 billion in damage and over 400 deaths.
November cyclones and floods across Southeast Asia inflicted USD 25 billion in damage and killed more than 1,750 people.
China’s floods led to USD 11.7 billion in damage, displaced thousands and killed at least 30.
Asia accounted for four of the top six costliest disasters, including flooding in India and Pakistan that killed over 1,860 people and cost up to USD 6 billion.
Typhoons in the Philippines caused more than USD 5 billion in damage and displaced over 1.4 million people.
Flooding in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo affected thousands, with potentially up to 700 deaths in Nigeria alone.
Drought in Brazil, summer wildfires in Spain and Portugal, and February cyclones in Australia and Réunion island all inflicted major losses.
Record-breaking sea temperatures and coral bleaching in Western Australia were recorded alongside worrying extremes in Antarctica.
Christian Aid stresses that continued fossil-fuel expansion and political delay are driving these predictable disasters.

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India's Wildfire Management Resolution Adopted At UNEA-7 (Mid of December) ▼

India's resolution on strengthening global wildfire management was adopted at the seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) in Nairobi, with wide support from member states.
The resolution responds to the rising number, scale and intensity of wildfires worldwide and calls for stronger international cooperation, early warning systems and better access to finance for prevention and management.
Wildfires, once seasonal, have become frequent and prolonged due to climate change and human activities.
UNEP's global report 'Spreading Like Wildfire' warns that wildfires may increase by 14 per cent by 2030, 30 per cent by 2050 and 50 per cent by 2100 if current trends continue.
Global efforts are moving towards integrated fire management based on early warning systems, risk mapping and satellite-based monitoring, supported by local communities and frontline personnel.
The Global Fire Management Hub, set up in 2023 by FAO and UNEP, is an important mechanism for international cooperation.
India's resolution calls for stronger cooperation to develop early warning systems, risk assessment tools and satellite- and ground-based monitoring, along with community-based alert mechanisms.

UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2025: developing nations receive <10% of needed climate adaptation finance (Start of November) ▼

Developing countries received only about $26 billion in adaptation finance in 2023, 'less than 10 per cent of the money they need'
By 2035 developing nations will require 'well over $310 billion per year in dedicated funding to adapt' to climate impacts
Most countries now have 'at least one national adaptation plan in place' and climate funding for new adaptation projects rose in 2024
The Baku to Belém Roadmap launched at COP29 sets a goal of '$1.3 trillion for climate finance – from public and private sources – by 2035'
WHO/Lancet Countdown reports heat-related deaths have risen 'by 23 per cent since the 1990s, to an average 546 000 deaths per year'

World Tsunami Awareness Day observed on November 5: Theme 'Be Tsunami Ready: Invest in Tsunami Preparedness' for 2025 (Start of November) ▼

World Tsunami Awareness Day is observed annually on November 5, following its establishment by the UN General Assembly in December 2015 through Resolution 70/203.
The day aims to raise global awareness of the tsunami hazard, promote risk-reduction measures, and build resilient coastal communities.
It was designated at the request of Japan, acknowledging that tsunamis are rare but potentially catastrophic events that threaten coastal communities globally.
The current theme is 'Be Tsunami Ready: Invest in Tsunami Preparedness.'
The first recorded tsunami occurred in 479 BC in Potidaea, Greece, following an earthquake.
At least 58 tsunamis occurred in the past 100 years, resulting in more than 260,000 deaths.
The catastrophic 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami claimed approximately 230,000 lives, affecting 14 countries.
Around 80% of tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean’s 'Ring of Fire' due to frequent undersea earthquakes.
Tsunamis can travel at up to 800 km/h across the open ocean and strike within minutes of the triggering event in nearby coastlines.
It is the deadliest natural disaster on average per event.
A Japanese folk tale 'Inamura-no-hi' (the burning of rice sheaves) inspired the selection of this date because the fire signalled an imminent tsunami and saved lives.
The day aligns closely with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-30).
2015: First time proposed by Japan, a country with long experience in tsunami preparedness and disaster risk reduction.
2025: The theme calls for 'Be Tsunami Ready: Invest in Tsunami Preparedness' all across the vulnerable regions.

UN and WMO Reports Highlight Record Global Temperatures and Climate Crisis Escalation (Start of November) ▼

This year is set to be among the hottest on record, sinking the world even deeper into the climate crisis and threatening “irreversible damage,” the United Nations says in a new report.
Years 2023, 2024 and 2025 are set to be the hottest years ever recorded, with this year on track to be the second or third hottest ever in 176 years of record keeping, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in the report.
Concentrations of greenhouse gases have grown to new record highs, locking in more heat for the future, while the past 11 years, 2015 to 2025, will individually have been the 11 warmest years.
It will be virtually impossible to limit global warming to 1.5C [2.7F] in the next few years without temporarily overshooting this target, WMO chief Celeste Saulo said, referring to the 2015 Paris climate accords.
The mean near-surface temperature during the first eight months of this year stood at 1.42C (2.5F) above the pre-industrial average, according to the WMO report.
The UN Environment Programme confirmed that emissions of greenhouse gases increased by a further 2.3 percent last year, an increase driven by India, followed by China, Russia and Indonesia.
The Arctic sea ice extent, after the winter freeze this year, was the lowest ever recorded, and the Antarctic sea ice extent tracked well below average throughout the year.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to commission third launch pad at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota in four years

[Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Satish Dhawan Space Centre]

Key Updates:

ISRO is developing a third launch pad at the Shriharikota spaceport and is currently identifying the right vendors for the project.
The new launch pad is required to handle bigger launch vehicles needed for satellites weighing over 12,000–14,000 kg.
Shriharikota complex, renamed Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) on September 5, 2002, covers 175 sq km and is located about 135 km east of Chennai.

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Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) schedules LVM3-M6 launch for 24 December (End of December) ▼

ISRO announced that the launch of its LVM3-M6 mission has been scheduled for December 24, 2025, at 08:54 hours IST.
The heavy-lift launch vehicle will lift off from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.
Under a commercial agreement facilitated by New Space India Limited, the LVM3 on this mission will place the Bluebird-6 communication satellite of US-based AST SpaceMobile into orbit.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to launch BlueBird Block-2 satellite for US-based AST SpaceMobile (End of December) ▼

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch the BlueBird Block-2 satellite of US-based AST SpaceMobile Inc. using the LVM3-M6 rocket.
The launch is scheduled from the Second Launch Pad, SDSC SHAR (Satish Dhawan Space Centre), Sriharikota.
The mission is a dedicated commercial launch facilitated through a commercial agreement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
BlueBird satellites feature nearly 2,400 square feet arrays, making them the largest commercial phased arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit.

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.

PM to inaugurate Skyroot’s Infinity Campus and unveil Vikram-I orbital rocket (End of November) ▼

Prime Minister will inaugurate Indian space startup Skyroot’s Infinity Campus on 27th November at 11 AM via video conferencing.
He will also unveil Skyroot’s first orbital rocket, Vikram-I, with capability to launch satellites to orbit.
The state-of-the-art facility will have around 200,000 square feet workspace for designing, developing, integrating and testing multiple launch vehicles, with a capacity to build one orbital rocket every month.
Skyroot is India’s leading private space company, founded by Pawan Chandana and Bharath Dhaka, both alumni of Indian Institutes of Technology and former scientists of ISRO turned entrepreneurs.
In November 2022, Skyroot launched its sub-orbital rocket, Vikram-S, becoming the first Indian private company to launch a rocket to space.

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) detects organic molecules in planet-forming disk of star T Chamaeleontis (T Cha)

Key Updates:

Astronomers studied the young, Sun-like star T Chamaeleontis (T Cha), which is located approximately 350 light-years from Earth.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) revealed the presence of complex organic molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the star's circumstellar disk.
A sudden burst of accretion in 2022 caused the partial collapse of the disk’s inner wall, allowing ultraviolet (UV) radiation to illuminate previously hidden regions.
The detection was made using the JWST’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), which captured the PAH glow in the 5–15 microns wavelength range.
Scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), led the analysis of the spectroscopic data.
The study found that the PAHs in the T Cha disk are relatively small, containing fewer than 30 carbon atoms.
Comparison with archival data from the Spitzer Space Telescope from 2002 showed that the intrinsic properties of the molecules remained stable over nearly two decades.
The T Cha system contains a wide gap in its disk believed to have been carved out by an emerging protoplanet.

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National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Discovers Lemon-Shaped Exoplanet PSR J2322-2650b (End of December) ▼

Astronomers using National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have characterized a remarkable exoplanet with an unusual lemon shaped appearance.
Designated PSR J2322-2650b, this Jupiter-mass world orbits a rapidly spinning neutron star known as a pulsar.
Strong gravitational tides from the compact host stretch the planet into a distinctive lemon shaped exoplanet, marking it as one of the most deformed worlds observed to date.
The lemon shaped exoplanet completes an orbit around its pulsar every 7.8 hours, at a distance of approximately 1 million miles.
This discovery represents the first known Jupiter-mass gaseous planet orbiting a pulsar.
Observations with the JWST revealed an atmosphere dominated by helium and carbon, featuring detectable molecular carbon species such as C2 and C3.
Day-side temperatures reach up to 3,700 degrees Fahrenheit, while the night side cools to about 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit.
The pulsar’s emission is negligible in the infrared wavelengths observed by JWST, enabling a clear transmission spectrum of the planet’s atmosphere without significant contamination from the host.
The system resembles a black widow pulsar, where the neutron star evaporates its companion, yet the planetary mass and composition do not fit standard stripping models.

Gemini North Telescope Captures Greening of Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS (Mid of December) ▼

The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS is not only brightening but also taking on a distinct green hue as it approaches Earth.
The latest image of the comet was captured by scientists using the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) on the 8.1-meter Gemini North telescope atop Hawaii's dormant Mauna Kea volcano.
The green colour of the comet is caused by diatomic carbon (C2) molecules in its coma, which emit light at green wavelengths when exposed to solar radiation.

James Webb Space Telescope Records Universe's Earliest Supernova (Mid of December) ▼

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has observed the universe's earliest supernova, offering a rare glimpse into the early universe.
This event shows how massive stars lived short, explosive lives, which helped create the elements needed for planets and life.
JWST tracked the earliest ever-known supernova back to the very dawn of the universe, providing direct evidence for the harsh and short lives of the first stars.
Astronomers used the near-infrared cameras of the James Webb Space Telescope, specifically the NIRCam instrument, to spot barely perceptible light variations between two sets of observations.
The observation was attributed to a core collapse supernova, as per research and a report from the European Space Agency (ESA).
The deep space explosion was found in a small, tightly packed, and very lively galaxy that existed during the first billion years after the Big Bang.
The star that caused the supernova was extremely large, ran out of its nuclear fuel very fast, and then collapsed under its own weight, propelling heavy metals and leaving a dispersing cloud of material.
Supernovae are major factors behind cosmic evolution, as they are the sources of heavy elements needed for forming planets, organic molecules, and complex chemistry.

Astronomers Spot Possible Primordial Cluster Beyond Neptune (End of November) ▼

Astronomers believe they may have discovered evidence of a mysterious structure far beyond Neptune, hidden deep inside the Kuiper Belt.
The Kuiper Belt extends approximately 30 to 50 astronomical units (AU) from the Sun and contains icy remnants left behind during the solar system's formation.
A team of scientists from Princeton University, led by astrophysicist Aamir Siraj, has identified a new structure at a distance of approximately 43 AU.
They believe it could be a 'primordial cluster'—a group of icy objects that has existed virtually unchanged since the early solar system.
The extremely calm and stable orbits of these objects indicate the region's antiquity and minimal disruption.
This discovery could help explain how giant planets formed and gradually reached their current orbits.
The new structure shows even lower eccentricity than the previously identified 'kernel' region, suggesting it may be even older and more stable.
According to Princeton researchers, the classical belt's structure should be understood as consisting of three major components: a 'hot' component and two 'cold' components called the core and the kernel.

Lantana camara’s allelopathy and toxicity turn invaded lands into biodiversity deserts

Key Updates:

Lantana camara grows in a notoriously aggressive way, releasing chemicals into the soil that suppress other vegetation.
Its leaves, flowers, and berries contain toxins that make them harmful to livestock.
The plant’s roots dig deep into the soil and spread wide in search of water and nutrients.
A fine coat of resin on its leaves slows down water loss, letting it thrive even in the poorest soils and through the hottest and driest days.

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Armenia unveils Erivan Anomalous Blue butterfly as logo for COP17 (Mid of December) ▼

Armenia has unveiled the logo for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
At its centre is Polyommatus eriwanensis, a blue butterfly found only in and around Yerevan.
COP17, scheduled for October 2026, will host the first global review of how countries are implementing the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
The framework has 23 targets, from protecting habitats to reforming subsidies that harm biodiversity.
The logo uses 23 blended colours, reflecting the idea that progress on one target depends on action across all.
The species inhabits calcareous grasslands in Armenia but the host plant of the species is still not known.
The species is not included in the Global and European Red Lists.
The choice builds on a precedent from COP16 in Colombia. That conference featured the Inirida flower, endemic to the Guaviare region.

Study Uncovers Survival Mechanisms of Japan's Ghost Plants in Sunless Forests (Start of November) ▼

Ghost plants of Japan are unique flora found in shaded forests, thriving without sunlight.
These plants lack chlorophyll and do not photosynthesise, instead relying entirely on underground fungal networks for carbon and nutrients.
A peer-reviewed study published in Annals of Botany explains their fascinating adaptation to darkness and fully mycoheterotrophic nature.
The ghost plants belong to families such as Thismia, Gastrodia, and Monotropastrum, forming mycoheterotrophic relationships with fungi, often from families like Ceratobasidiaceae.
Their survival depends on a complex tripartite relationship involving a tree, a fungus, and the ghost plant, which is essential for their survival and the health of forest ecosystems.
Ghost plants challenge the understanding of plant survival by demonstrating a continuum from mixotrophy to full mycoheterotrophy, with albino individuals showing full fungal reliance.
These plants are indicators of healthy, undisturbed forests and are highly vulnerable, as they cannot be cultivated independently and are susceptible to habitat destruction or soil changes.

The Destructive Impact of the Invasive Cane Toad and Conservation Efforts (Mid of November) ▼

The cane toad (Rhinella marina) is recognized as one of the most invasive destructive species globally.
Originally from Central and South America, cane toads were introduced to other regions, such as Australia, to manage beetle pests affecting sugarcane crops.
Cane toads possess a powerful toxin called bufotoxin, released from glands behind their eyes, which is lethal to many animals, including native wildlife and pets.
Predators like quolls, goannas, snakes, and crocodiles have experienced catastrophic population declines after ingesting cane toads.
Female cane toads exhibit rapid reproduction, laying between 8,000 and over 30,000 eggs per clutch and potentially breeding multiple times annually.
In new environments, cane toads face few natural predators and are highly adaptable, thriving in diverse habitats from cities to farmlands.
Conservation efforts in Western Australia include training native crocodiles to avoid eating cane toads, which has significantly reduced crocodile deaths.
Scientists are also researching gene-edited tadpoles that consume other cane toad eggs as a potential strategy to control their populations.

ICRC publishes Guidelines on the protection of the natural environment in armed conflict (2020) (Start of November) ▼

Publication Name: Guidelines on the protection of the natural environment in armed conflict: rules and recommendations relating to the protection of the natural environment under international humanitarian law, with commentary
Publisher: ICRC
Year of Publication: 2020
Content: Sets out rules and recommendations relating to the protection of the natural environment under international humanitarian law (IHL), accompanied by a concise commentary.
Purpose: Serves as a reference tool for States, parties to armed conflicts, and other actors to interpret and apply IHL, and to facilitate the adoption of concrete measures to reduce the environmental impact of armed conflict.
Availability: Also available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian.

Rare Clouded Leopard Sighted in Kakoi Reserve Forest (RF) Highlights Conservation of Smaller Habitats

Key Updates:

The Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) is a vulnerable and Schedule I–protected species.
The species was sighted at the Kakoi Reserve Forest (RF) located in the eastern Himalayan foothills of Assam.
The sighting was recorded during a routine camera-trap exercise.
The presence of the species highlights the vital role smaller reserve forests play in the conservation of threatened carnivores.
A Siberian tigress was spotted with five cubs in China.
Forest officials in Panchkula have deployed drones for rescue teams following an alert over a leopard sighting.
A rare red fox appeared near Pangong Tso, leading an IFS officer to flag conservation concerns.
The Nature Conservancy is restoring habitat for a rare moth and other prairie species.

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Gujarat regains Tiger State status after 33 years as NTCA confirms tiger presence in Ratanmahal sanctuary (End of December) ▼

The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) confirmed the presence of a tiger in the Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary in central Gujarat.
Forest officials detected pugmarks of a tiger in the Pipalgota Round of the Kanjeta Range in the sanctuary.
Analysis of camera trap data revealed an image of a tiger captured at 2:40 am.
The NTCA included Gujarat in the national Tiger Census and suggested steps to strengthen the ecosystem.
The Gujarat Forest Department has increased the number of camera traps and is ensuring availability of water, prey base, security, and fire prevention.
Prey base species such as antelopes and spotted deer were released in the area during the monsoon.
Forest department officials will be trained in conservation and breeding of tigers.
Attempts are on to bring a female tiger to increase the tiger population in the region.
Gujarat has become the only state in India to host three big cat species — lion, tiger and leopard — simultaneously.

Project Cheetah Reintroduces Extinct Big Cat, Population Reaches 32 with 21 India-Born Cubs (Start of December) ▼

India launched Project Cheetah in 2022 to reintroduce cheetahs, the only large carnivore extinct in independent India since 1952, primarily through translocation from Africa.
As of December 2025, the country now supports a thriving population of 32 cheetahs, including 21 India-born cubs.
An India-born female Mukhi gave birth to five healthy cubs in November 2025.

Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Approves Nauradehi as Third Cheetah Habitat (Mid of December) ▼

The Mohan Yadav cabinet accorded approval to develop the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, Nauradehi, in Sagar district as the third cheetah habitat in the state.
Kuno National Park in Sheopur district is the first cheetah habitat and Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Mandsaur district is the second.
The state currently has a cheetah population of 31, with 28 in Kuno and 3 in Gandhi Sagar.
Eight cheetahs from Botswana are expected to arrive at Kuno and the new habitat is being prepared for their translocation.

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.

Government declares Parvati-Arga Bird Sanctuary as Eco-Sensitive Zone

Key Updates:

The Government has declared the Parvati-Arga Bird Sanctuary of Uttar Pradesh as an Eco sensitive zone.
Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, said that through this initiative, the government is working to develop it as a responsible ecotourism destination and strengthen its biodiversity.
The sanctuary, spread across one thousand 84 hectares, welcomes migratory birds from Central Asia and Tibet.

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Chhattisgarh gets its first Ramsar wetland site on December 12, 2025 (Mid of December) ▼

The Kopra Reservoir in Bilaspur district was officially declared Chhattisgarh’s first Ramsar Site.
The declaration places Kopra Reservoir on the global map of wetlands of international importance.
The State Wetland Authority, environmental experts, forest officials, researchers, and local communities made joint efforts for this designation.
Kedar Kashyap is the forest and climate change minister of Chhattisgarh.
Vishnu Deo Sai is the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh.
The Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision 2047 includes a major target of securing Ramsar status for 20 wetlands by 2030.
Kopra Reservoir is highlighted as a suitable habitat for species such as the river tern, common pochard, and Egyptian vulture.

PM Modi Inaugurates New Terminal at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA) with ₹5,000 Crore Investment (End of December) ▼

"Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the new terminal at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA), completing a rare, accelerated journey from concept to commissioning in under a year."
"The overall airport development represents an investment of Rs 5,000 crore, including Rs 1,000 crore earmarked for Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facilities."
"The terminal is designed to handle 13.1 million passengers annually by 2032."
"Assam is emerging as India’s eastern gateway under the Act East policy, with the bamboo-rich terminal symbolising strength, sustainability and the state’s growing role in powering Viksit Bharat."
"The project has been developed by Guwahati International Airport Limited, with operations led by Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL)."
"Its inauguration today, with operations expected to commence by the end of February, underscores the pace at which India’s aviation infrastructure is now being conceived, built, tested and readied for live operations."

53 arrested for forest encroachment in Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve on December 16 (End of December) ▼

Forest authorities in Chhattisgarh arrested 53 individuals for attempting to encroach upon protected land within the Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (USTR).
The Udanti Sitanadi Tiger Reserve (USTR) serves as a critical catchment for the Mahanadi River and a vital habitat for tigers, elephants, and leopards.
The enforcement operation was conducted in the Sitanadi core zone, specifically in the Ghotbeda area of reserve forest compartment number 323.
The joint forest team was led by Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Bholanath Singh Rajput, Ranger Kushal Kashyap, and Deputy Ranger Lokeshwar Chauhan.

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary Welcomes Thousands of Migratory Birds (Start of November) ▼

Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary is buzzing with life as thousands of migratory birds arrive, heralding the start of the season.
Over 20 species, including open-billed storks and white ibis, have begun nesting.
Open-billed storks have not only built their nests but also completed breeding, with chicks already visible on the treetops.
The tank surrounding the sanctuary is in excellent condition, holding water up to 16ft, replenished by recent rains and surplus inflow from the Valayaputhur lake nearby.
A previous disruption in the flow from Valayaputhur lake caused by blocked channels has since been resolved, ensuring sufficient water levels for the birds’ breeding season.
Most of the birds prefer the barringtonia trees to build their nests.
Forest officials plan desilting work and fresh plantation of barringtonia trees once the summer sets in and the tank dries.
The sanctuary, home to more than 15,000 birds, has begun attracting more visitors on weekends and holidays.
Manish Meena is identified as the Chennai wildlife warden.

National Test House (NTH) inks MoU with DRDO’s DMSRDE for joint research, testing and training

[Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)]

Key Updates:

The National Test House (NTH), under the Department of Consumer Affairs, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Defence Materials and Stores Research & Development Establishment (DMSRDE), a DRDO laboratory.
Both institutions will extend mutual support in testing and evaluation services, particularly when specialised facilities are not available in-house.
The collaboration is expected to promote knowledge sharing and skill development among scientific and technical personnel.

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Defence Research and Development Organisation and Rashtriya Raksha University sign MoU to strengthen defence and security collaboration (End of December) ▼

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to foster collaboration in research, education, training and technology support for defence & internal security.
The MoU was inked by Distinguished Scientist & Director General (Production Coordination & Services Interaction) Chandrika Kaushik and Vice Chancellor, RRU Prof Bimal N Patel in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at South Block, New Delhi.
The collaboration aims to strengthen India's self-reliance in defence and internal security technologies in line with the national vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
Under the MoU, joint research projects, PhD & fellowship programmes and specialised training & capacity-building programmes for security forces will be undertaken.

IIT Kanpur and NMDC sign MoU to boost cybersecurity and AI/ML adoption in mining (Start of December) ▼

IIT Kanpur’s C3iHub will conduct cyber risk assessments and develop AI/ML solutions for enhanced operational efficiency in the mining sector.
The collaboration will explore AI/ML-driven solutions, digital twins, predictive maintenance frameworks, and advanced data analytics across NMDC’s mining ecosystem.
Both institutions will jointly undertake research, capacity-building programs, and technology pilots, with successful proofs-of-concept evaluated for scalable deployment.

India & France ink pact for joint R&D. The aim—to develop solutions for future defence challenges (End of November) ▼

Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) and France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) Thursday signed a technical agreement to deepen bilateral collaboration in the field of research and development.
The agreement, signed by DRDO chief Samir V. Kamat and France’s armaments director Gael Diaz de Tuesta, is an overarching pact enabling joint R&D, not tied to any one project.
This strategic partnership aims to leverage the combined expertise and resources of all stakeholders to develop innovative solutions for future defence challenges, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement.
The agreement provides a formal framework for joint research and training programmes, testing activities, exchange of information, organisation of workshops, seminars etc. to enhance the skill and knowledge in defence R&D.
Under the agreement, the transfer of equipment, know-how and technologies will be available to both countries.
Key areas of cooperation outlined in this agreement include aeronautical platforms, unmanned vehicles, advanced materials for defence applications, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, space, navigation, advanced propulsion, advanced sensors, quantum technologies, underwater technologies and other areas of mutual interest, the statement said.
Both countries are looking at declaring 2026 as the ‘India-France year of innovation’ which will not be limited to just pure defence.
France was India’s first strategic partner and an agreement to this effect was signed on 26 January 1998.

PHDCCI-Busan Chamber MoU to deepen India-South Korea trade ties (Start of November) ▼

MoU signed between PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Focus sectors: manufacturing, clean energy, digital technology, maritime logistics, and emerging industries
Aim: increase business exchanges, investments, and knowledge sharing between India and South Korea

India Ranks Third in Global Rare Earth Reserves Amidst Production and Processing Challenges

Key Updates:

India holds about 6.9 million tonnes of rare earth oxide (REO) reserves, placing it behind only China and Brazil.
In 2024, India produced only 2,900 tonnes of rare earths, ranking seventh globally.
Most of India's reserves are found in monazite-rich coastal sands, which also contain thorium, a radioactive element.
Production was largely restricted and handled mainly by Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), where rare earth elements were treated as by-products rather than strategic resources.
China controls about 90 per cent of global rare earth refining capacity and almost the entire processing of heavy rare earth elements.
India holds nearly 6-7 per cent of global rare earth reserves, yet contributes less than 1 per cent of global production.
The report highlighted that processing and refining is the biggest challenge, as India has very limited processing and refining capacity.

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

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

DAE Launches India’s First Nitric-Oxide Wound Dressing and Indigenous Rare Earth Elements Reference Material (Mid of November) ▼

DAE, in collaboration with Cologenesis Pvt. Ltd., launched ColoNoX, India’s first nitric-oxide-releasing wound dressing for diabetic foot ulcers DFU.
The wound dressing was developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre BARC and clinically validated through Phase II and III trials, receiving DCGI approval for commercial manufacturing.
DAE released an indigenously developed Certified Reference Material CRM titled Ferrocarbonatite FC – BARC B140, to support exploration, extraction and process control in Rare Earth Elements REEs.
The CRM was created jointly by BARC’s NCCCM National Centre for Compositional Characterisation of Materials and the Atomic Minerals Directorate AMD, Hyderabad.
The Ferrocarbonatite FC – BARC B140 CRM provides certified values for thirteen rare-earth elements and six major elements.
Officials noted that this CRM is the first of its kind developed in India and only the fourth in the world.

Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) sanctions ₹7,280 Cr to build 6,000 TPA integrated rare-earth magnet capacity. (Start of December) ▼

Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) allocates ₹6,450 Cr in sales-linked incentives and ₹750 Cr in capital subsidies for five beneficiaries (1,200 TPA each).
India currently imports ~100 % of its rare-earth magnet demand; imports stood at ~2.3 kilo tons in 2024 with ~65 % sourced from China.
Domestic rare-earth reserves are estimated at ~7 Mn Tons and are monazite-based, requiring radiological safeguards due to thorium content.

RBI Repatriates Gold, Boosts Domestic Reserves and Foreign Exchange Assets (Mid of November) ▼

The Reserve Bank of India, between March 2025 and September 2025, has brought over 64 tonnes of gold back to the country.
Since March 2023, the RBI has brought home 274 tonnes of gold.
The Reserve Bank's gold reserve stands at 880 metric tonnes as of September 2025, according to its Half Yearly Report on Management of Foreign Exchange Reserves.
Of this, 575.8 metric tonnes are currently in India, while another 290.37 metric tonnes of gold are kept with the Bank of England (BoE) and the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) in Switzerland.
The share of gold in the total foreign exchange reserves rose from 11.70 per cent in March 2025 to around 13.92 per cent in September 2025.
The RBI also has foreign currency assets of around $579.18 billion (about Rs 51.09 lakh crore) , comprising $489.54 billion (about Rs 43.15 lakh crore) in securities investments, $46.11 billion (about Rs 4.07 lakh crore) in deposits with other central banks and BIS, and another $43.53 billion (about Rs 3.84 lakh crore) in deposits with overseas commercial banks.

Russia launches 52 satellites in one mission, puts 3 Iranian spacecraft into orbit

[Russia, Iran]

Key Updates:

Russia lifted a Soyuz-2.1b from Vostochny with 52 satellites and separately placed three Iranian communications payloads in orbit.
Roscosmos said the payload includes two Aist-2T satellites and 50 smaller spacecraft.
The Aist-2T satellites are designed to photograph the Earth’s surface and produce stereoscopic images to build digital terrain models.
Some smaller satellites are CubeSats under the Universat program and will study climate change and “space weather” in low Earth orbit for the Russian Hydrometeorological Service.
A Russian rocket placed the Iranian satellites — Paya, Kowsar, and Zafar-2 — into a 500-kilometre orbit from Vostochny.
The satellites can capture images with up to three-meter resolution for management of water resources, agriculture, and environmental monitoring.

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US-Russian Crew Begins 8-Month Mission on International Space Station (Start of December) ▼

A U.S.-Russian crew of three began a mission on the International Space Station after being launched there on a Russian spacecraft.
A Soyuz booster rocket lifted off from the Russia-leased Baikonur launch facility in Kazakhstan to put the Soyuz MS-28 into orbit.
The spacecraft carried NASA astronaut Chris Williams and Russian crewmates, Sergei Mikaev and Sergei Kud-Sverchkov.
The craft docked at the International Space Station.
The three are expected to spend about eight months at the orbiting outpost.
NASA said this is the first spaceflight for Williams, a physicist, and Mikaev, a military pilot.
This is the second flight for Kud-Sverchkov.
Already on the space station are NASA astronauts Mike Fincke, Zena Cardman and Jonny Kim, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)’s astronaut Kimiya Yui and Russian cosmonauts Sergei Ryzhikov, Alexei Zubritsky and Oleg Platonov.
Williams will conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations aimed at advancing human space exploration and benefiting life on Earth, NASA said.
Roscosmos space corporation (Roscosmos) said in a statement Thursday evening that the crew was “in good health” after the flight.
A routine inspection of the launch pad, conducted after the liftoff, identified “damage to several launch pad components.”
The extent of the damage was being assessed, but “all necessary spare components are available for repairs, and the damage will be repaired shortly,” Roscosmos said.

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to launch BlueBird Block-2 satellite for US-based AST SpaceMobile (End of December) ▼

Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will launch the BlueBird Block-2 satellite of US-based AST SpaceMobile Inc. using the LVM3-M6 rocket.
The launch is scheduled from the Second Launch Pad, SDSC SHAR (Satish Dhawan Space Centre), Sriharikota.
The mission is a dedicated commercial launch facilitated through a commercial agreement with NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
BlueBird satellites feature nearly 2,400 square feet arrays, making them the largest commercial phased arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit.

ISRO targets seven launches by March 2026, including first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission (Mid of December) ▼

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) plans seven launch missions by March next year.
The human-rated LVM3 will carry the first uncrewed Gaganyaan mission, with Vyommitra humanoid robot aboard.
PSLV63 will launch TDS-01 satellite to demonstrate high thrust electric propulsion, quantum key distribution, and indigenous travelling wave tube amplifier.
India’s first industry-built Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle will place Oceansat satellite into orbit along with Indo-Mauritius Joint Satellite and LEAP-2.
LVM3 will launch Bluebird-6 communication satellite for US-based AST Spacemobile under a commercial agreement through New Space India Limited (NSIL).
PSLV will launch EOS-N1 earth observation satellite for a strategic user and 18 smaller Indian and international satellites.
GSLV-Mk II is expected to launch EOS-5 (GISAT-1A) to replace GISAT-1 which failed to reach intended orbit in 2021.
NSIL has awarded a contract to a HAL-L&T consortium to manufacture five PSLV rockets under a technology transfer arrangement.
Small Satellite Launch Vehicle is expected to launch a dedicated satellite before March 2026.

ISRO targets seven missions including first uncrewed Gaganyaan flight by March 2026 (Start of November) ▼

ISRO Chairman V Narayanan: 'We have planned seven launches to take place before the end of this financial year. It is by March 2026.'
First uncrewed Gaganyaan mission 'G1 Mission' scheduled before March 2026; three uncrewed missions planned before crewed flight.
Next launch after CMS-03 will be an LVM3 carrying 'a commercial communication satellite for a client.'
Three additional PSLV missions planned, one for NSIL customer satellite and one technology-development mission PSLV-N1.
GSLV-F17 rocket mission also slated before March 2026 as part of the seven-mission target.

Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) to host eight disciplines of World Police & Fire Games 2029

[Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU), World Police & Fire Games]

Key Updates:

RRU in Gujarat will host Wrist Wrestling, Bench Press, Bodybuilding, Cross Country 10km, Push-Pull Lifting, Muster, Indoor Rowing and Darts.
The university has established a dedicated Secretariat to coordinate planning, logistics, venue management and athlete services.
RRU is building a cadre of 500 trained volunteers to support the Games.

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Manu Bhaker and Ojas Deotale win National Shooting and Archery titles (Mid of December) ▼

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).

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

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

WFDF 2025 World Beach Ultimate Championships Scheduled for November (Mid of November) ▼

The event is named WFDF 2025 World Beach Ultimate Championships (WBUC).
The event is scheduled from November 16 to November 22.
The organizer of the event is the World Flying Disc Federation WFDF.

ICC Confirms U-19 World Cup 2026 Schedule, Hosts, and Groups (Mid of November) ▼

The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed the schedule of the 2026 ICC U-19 World Cup.
The 2026 ICC U-19 World Cup will be hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia.
India will aim to win a record-extending 6th title.
The tournament will be the 16th edition of the tournament.
The tournament will be held across five venues in two countries: three stadiums in Zimbabwe and two venues in Namibia.
A total of 16 teams have been divided into four groups, with each group having four teams.
India, the tournament's most successful team, is in Group A alongside the United States of America (USA), Bangladesh, and New Zealand.
Defending champions Australia are in Group C.
The tournament will start on 15th January with India playing the USA in the opening game in Bulawayo's Queens Sports Club.
The iconic Harare Sports Club will host the final on 06 February.
India's team is set to be captained by Ayush Mhathre.
All eyes will be on Vaibhav Suryavnashi.

Sonam Yeshey of Bhutan records first T20 8-wicket haul against Myanmar

[Bhutan, Myanmar]

Key Updates:

Sonam Yeshey became the first player in T20 history, across international and domestic cricket, to take eight wickets in a single match.
The 22-year-old left-arm spinner achieved record-breaking figures of 8/7 from four overs during the third T20I against Myanmar.
The match was held at Gelephu Mindfulness City on December 26, 2025.
Bhutan successfully defended a total of 127/9 by dismissing Myanmar for 45 runs.
Yeshey surpassed the previous T20I records of seven-wicket hauls held by Syazrul Idrus of Malaysia and Ali Dawood of Bahrain.
The spinner has taken a total of 12 wickets in the series so far, bringing his career tally to 37 wickets in 34 T20Is.

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India clinches T20I series against South Africa (End of December) ▼

India defeated South Africa by 30 runs in the fifth T20I to secure a 3-1 victory in the series.
The match was held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
India posted a total of 231 for five in 20 overs, while South Africa scored 201 for eight in their response.
Hardik Pandya set a record for the second-fastest T20I fifty for India, reaching the milestone in 15 balls.
Tilak Varma top-scored for India with 73 runs off 42 balls, including 10 boundaries and one six.
Varun Chakravarthy was the pick of the bowlers for India, taking four wickets for 53 runs in his four-over spell.
With this win, India extended their unbeaten streak in bilateral T20I series to 19.

Shikhar Dhawan Unveiled Autobiography 'The One: Cricket, My Life and More' (Mid of December) ▼

Shikhar Dhawan, a celebrated cricketer and entrepreneur, unveiled his autobiography 'The One: Cricket, My Life and More'.
The autobiography was unveiled at a special event in New Delhi.
The unveiling was held in association with BMW Deutsche Motoren, HarperCollins, and the Trends Literature Series.
The principles documented in 'The One' align with the mission of Dhawan's venture, Da One Group, which focuses on structured athlete development, accessible grassroots pathways, and long-term capacity building for Indian sport.
Shikhar Dhawan Foundation operates across education and community impact.

Sunil Narine becomes first cricketer to take 600 T20 wickets (Start of December) ▼

Sunil Narine became the first bowler to claim 600 wickets in competitive T20 cricket.
He achieved this milestone during a World ILT20 game for his franchise Abu Dhabi Knight Riders against Sharjah Warriorz.
Narine reached the landmark by claiming the wicket of Tom Abell.
Abu Dhabi Knight Riders presented Narine with a special edition jersey featuring the number 600 to commemorate his unprecedented feat.

Jasprit Bumrah becomes first Indian to take 100 wickets in all three formats (Mid of December) ▼

Jasprit Bumrah has become the country’s first bowler to complete 100 wickets in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.
He reached the milestone during the first T20I against South Africa at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack.
India defeated South Africa by 101 runs; India scored 175/6 and South Africa were all out for 74.

Surya Charishma Tamiri outlasts Tanvi Patri for national badminton title

Key Updates:

Surya Charishma Tamiri beat Tanvi Patri 17-21, 21-12, 21-14 in the women’s singles final.
The final was held at the 87th Senior National Badminton Championships in Vijayawada.
Rithvik Sanjeevi Sathish Kumar defeated Bharat Raghav 21-16, 22-20 to win the men’s singles title.

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Tai Tzu Ying announces retirement from badminton (Mid of November) ▼

Tai Tzu Ying of Chinese Taipei announced her retirement from international badminton.
She ends her career with 17 BWF World Tour titles and 12 runner-up finishes.
Her last title win came at the India Open 2024.
She won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics and two World Championships medals (silver in 2021, bronze in 2022).
She also claimed an Asian Games gold in 2018 and three Asian Championships titles.
PV Sindhu paid tribute, noting they faced each other 24 times, with Tai winning 19 of those matches.

Kidambi Srikanth, Treesa Jolly-Gayatri Gopichand Win Semifinals at Syed Modi International (End of November) ▼

Kidambi Srikanth won his men's singles semifinal match at the Syed Modi International badminton tournament, defeating compatriot Mithun Manjunath with a score of 21-15 19-21 21-13.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand won their women's doubles semifinal match, beating Malaysia's Ong Xin Yee and Carmen Ting 21-11 21-15.
The Syed Modi International badminton tournament is being held in Lucknow.
Kidambi Srikanth is a former champion of the Syed Modi International (2016) and a 2021 World Championships silver medallist.
Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand are the defending women's doubles champions of the Syed Modi International.
In women's singles semifinals, Unnati Hooda lost to Turkey's Neslihan Arın 15-21 10-21.
Tanvi Sharma lost her women's singles semifinal to Japan's Hina Akechi 17-21 16-21.
The mixed doubles pair of Hariharan Amsakarunan and Treesa lost their semifinal to Indonesia's Dejan Ferdinansyah and Bernadine Anindya Wardana 17-21 19-21.

India’s Unnati Hooda and Kiran George clinch singles titles at Odisha Masters (Mid of December) ▼

The Odisha Masters 2025, a Super 100 event, was held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Cuttack.
Unnati Hooda (India) claimed the women’s singles title, defeating compatriot Isharani Baruah 21-17, 21-10.
Hooda is set to enter the top 25 in BWF World Rankings, reaching a career best 23.
She reached the semifinals at the Hylo Open and the Syed Modi International, and the Taipei Open semifinal earlier in the year.
Hooda also secured a win against PV Sindhu at the China Open Super 1000 in the round of 16.
Kiran George (India) clinched the men’s singles title, prevailing over Indonesia’s Muhamad Yusuf in a three-game battle, with scores of 21-14, [Yusuf leveled], 21-16.
This was George’s first title on the circuit since 2023.
Marwan Faza and Aisyah Pranata (Indonesia) won the mixed doubles title, defeating compatriots Dejan Ferdinansyah and Bernadine Wardana 21-15, 21-10.
Ali Faathir Rayhan and Devin Artha Wahyudi (Indonesia) secured the men’s doubles crown, rallying past Malaysia’s Khang Khai Xing and Aaron Tai 15-21, 21-12, 21-16.
Top seeds Gabriela and Stefani Stoeva (Bulgaria) won the women’s doubles title, overcoming Malaysia’s Ong Xin Yee and Carmen Ting 21-19, 21-14.

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.

Kanger Valley National Park Status 1982

Key Updates:

Kanger Valley got the status of a national park in the year 1982.
The state bird, Bastar Maina, is a type of Hill maina (gruncula Dhariosoa), which is capable of emulating the human voices.
This National Park is home to three exceptional caves – famous for their amazing geological structures of Kutumbasar, Kailash and Dandak- Stellagmites and Stalactitees.
Tirathgarh Waterfall is located in Kanger Valley National Park.
The Kenjhardhara and Bhainsadhara are famous for Crocodile Park.
Bastar has its own Airport which is operated by State Government under UDAN Scheme.
The name of Kanger Ghati National Park is derived from the Kangar river, which flows in its length.
Kanger Valley is spread over 200 square kilometers.

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Khangchendzonga National Park earns IUCN "Good" rating as India’s only positive-status natural World Heritage site (Start of November) ▼

IUCN rated Khangchendzonga National Park as "good" in its latest global review of natural World Heritage sites
The park is India’s first "mixed" UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognised in 2016 for both natural and cultural value
The park covers 1,784 square kilometres and ranges from subtropical forests to Mount Khangchendzonga at 8,586 metres
It contains 280 glaciers, more than 70 glacial lakes, and wildlife including snow leopards, red pandas, and over 550 bird species
The larger Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve links core protected areas with buffer zones where villagers practice sustainable farming and harvesting

8th Namdapha Butterfly Festival to be held in Arunachal Pradesh (Start of November) ▼

The 8th Namdapha Butterfly Festival is set to take place at Namdapha National Park & Tiger Reserve from November 26-28.
This event celebrates the region's rich biodiversity, featuring over 500 butterfly species.
Organised in collaboration with local community groups, the festival aims to foster eco-tourism and conservation awareness, with free entry for local participants.
NNP &TR conservator of forest and field director AK Deka said the event, which celebrates the rich biodiversity of the region, will take place at Khachang village, Miao, the gateway to the NNP &TR in Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district.
It is home to world’s most spectacular butterflies including Kaiser-i-Hind, The Blue Mormon, Peacock Pansy, the rarely seen Zig-zag Flat and Yellow Veined Lancer.
The Namdapha National Park and Tiger Reserve is known as one of the world’s most biodiverse hotspots, and is home to over 500 species of butterflies, making the festival a crucial platform for eco-tourism and conseravation awareness.

Ladakh's Proposal to Redraw Karakoram and Changthang Sanctuary Boundaries (End of October) ▼

A major proposal to redraw the boundaries and expanse of the strategic Changthang and Karakoram sanctuaries in Ladakh is set to come to the Centre for final clearance.
It was proposed by the Ladakh State Wildlife Board at its September 19 meeting that the Karakoram wildlife sanctuary's new revised area should stand at 16,550 sq km while Changthang's at 9,695 sq km.
The new boundaries will involve exclusion of 1,742 sq km from the Karakoram (Nubra-Shyok) WLS and another 164 sq km from the high-altitude cold desert WLS in Changthang.
The 'rationalisation' of the two sanctuaries has been proposed after a detailed study by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and discussions with local stakeholders and the administration, as the 1987 notification did not constitute a properly defined area and had a mismatch in the description of North-South-East-West boundaries.
The excluded area, including 67 and 45 villages in the two sanctuaries respectively, is key to 'unlocking economic activity and tourism potential in the Himalayan region' and 'facilitating people living within the sanctuaries'.
The continued presence of villagers in border areas would be critical for 'maintaining vigilance and securing our international borders', addressing a worrying 'depopulation of border villages'.

Six New Odonate Species Discovered in Silent Valley National Park (End of October) ▼

Six new species of dragonflies and damselflies (odonates) were found in Silent Valley National Park.
The discovery occurred during an odonate survey held from October 10 to 12.
The survey was jointly held by Silent Valley National Park and the Society for Odonate Studies (SOS).
The newly recorded species include Long Legged Clubtail (Merogomphus longistigma), Fraser’s Torrent Hawk (Macromia irata), Dark Daggerhead (Macromidia donaldi), Blue-necked Reedtail (Protosticta mortoni), Wayanad Torrent Dart (Euphaea wayanadensis), and Black and Yellow Bambootail (Elattoneura tetrica).
With these new records, the total number of known odonate species in Silent Valley National Park has increased from 103 to 109.
Three Euphaea species (Euphaea dispar, E. fraseri, and E. wayanadensis) recorded during the survey are known indicators of freshwater quality.
Odonates are considered indicators of ecosystem health.

2,000-year-old Buddhist site from Kushan Period resurfaces in Kashmir

Key Updates:

Archaeologists in Zehanpora village have unearthed a significant Buddhist site dating back to the Kushan period, revealing stupas and monastic structures.
The discovery was initially sparked by old photographs in a French museum.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the discovery a 'proud moment' and described the site as a window into the state’s ancient identity.

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All About Kalachakra Ceremony: Buddhist Ritual PM Modi Attended In Bhutan (Mid of November) ▼

PM Narendra Modi attended the Kalachakra ceremony in Bhutan on the second day of his visit.
He inaugurated the sacred Kalachakra 'Wheel of Time' Empowerment alongside Bhutan's King and the Fourth Druk Gyalpo.
The ceremony was presided over by His Holiness the Je Khenpo.
The Kalachakra Ceremony is one of the most sacred rituals in Tibetan Buddhism, rooted in the Kalachakra Tantra.
It represents the cycles of time and existence, both cosmic and personal, and the path to liberation.
The ceremony includes the construction of an intricate sand mandala, sacred dances, prayers, and empowerment rites.
PM Modi and Bhutan's King jointly inaugurated the 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project.
PM Modi and the Bhutanese King offered prayers before the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha at Thimphu's Tashichhodzong.

OSL Dating Reveals Vaigai Flood Buried Keezhadi Settlement 1,155 Years Ago (End of December) ▼

Researchers from Physical Research Laboratory (PRL) and Tamil Nadu’s Department of Archaeology used optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating on four sediment samples from Keezhadi pits KDI-1 and KDI-2.
OSL ages span roughly the last 1,200 years and vary with depth, matching layered flood deposits.
The study concludes that burial of the urbanesque structures at Keezhadi likely happened a little over a thousand years ago—around 1,155 years before present—due to a high-energy flood event that deposited sands and then finer silts and clays on the floodplain.
Fine silty-clay layers sit over brick structures and coarse sand layers deeper down, with potsherd layers and fragments of roof tiles at some levels.

Maharashtra grassland labyrinth hints at Indo-Roman trade links (End of December) ▼

Archaeologists have discovered a remarkable circular stone labyrinth in the Boramani grasslands of Solapur, Maharashtra, identified as the largest of its kind ever recorded in India.
The labyrinth consists of 15 concentric stone circuits, each carved with meticulous precision.
The structure's patterns are reminiscent of those found on ancient Roman coins, suggesting possible connections to trade routes.
The site’s location along historic Indo-Roman trade routes points to potential cultural exchanges between ancient India and distant empires.
The discovery emerged when a wildlife NGO, monitoring Great Indian Bustards and local wolf populations, noticed the stone arrangement in the tall grass.

India grants land in Varanasi for Bhutanese monastery and guesthouse (Mid of November) ▼

India will grant land in Varanasi for construction of a Bhutanese monastery and guesthouse
The monastery will be built near the banks of the Ganga and serve as a centre for spiritual learning, cultural exchange, and pilgrimage
India extended a Rs 4,000-crore line of credit to support Bhutan’s development projects
The 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydropower Project was formally inaugurated
India and Bhutan signed three new agreements on renewable energy collaboration, mental-health research, and medical capacity-building

Prime Minister signs off Mann Ki Baat 2025 with focus on youth and culture

Key Updates:

PM Modi delivered the 129th episode of Mann Ki Baat, his last in 2025, emphasising youth, innovation, culture and public health.
He announced the second edition of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue on National Youth Day, January 12.
The broadcast highlighted grassroots initiatives like Manipur’s solar electrification drive and IISC Bengaluru’s music collective Geetanjali.

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Veer Bal Diwas observed on December 26 (End of December) ▼

Veer Bal Diwas is observed every year on December 26 to remember and honour the extraordinary courage and supreme sacrifice of the four Sahibzadas, the sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in 2022 that December 26 would be observed annually as Veer Bal Diwas.
The Ministry of Women and Child Development observes Veer Bal Diwas at the national level and confers the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar on the same day.

PM Modi Assam Visit on Dec 20-21 to Inaugurate Projects Worth Rs 15,600 Crore (End of December) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate and lay foundation stone of projects worth around Rs 15,600 crore in Assam on Saturday and Sunday.
The New Terminal Building of Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport in Guwahati will be inaugurated, designed to handle up to 1.3 crore passengers annually.
PM Modi will perform Bhoomipujan for Ammonia-Urea Fertilizer Project of Assam Valley Fertilizer and Chemical Company Limited at Namrup in Dibrugarh.
The Ammonia-Urea Fertilizer Project is stated to be built with an estimated investment of over Rs. 10,600 crore.

Gujarati New Year 2025: Bestu Varas on 22 October, Vikram Samvat 2082 begins (End of October) ▼

Gujarati New Year 2025 will be celebrated on Wednesday, 22 October 2025, a day after Diwali.
The Pratipada Tithi begins at 5:54 PM on 21 October 2025 and ends at 8:16 PM on 22 October 2025.
This day marks the beginning of Vikram Samvat 2082 according to the Hindu Vikram Samvat calendar.

Prime Minister inaugurates Panchjanya and attends Shaheedi Diwas event in Kurukshetra (End of November) ▼

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the newly built ‘Panchjanya,’ a structure dedicated to the sacred conch of Lord Krishna.
He will visit the Mahabharata Anubhav Kendra, an immersive centre showcasing key events from the Mahabharata.
PM Modi will take part in a special programme marking the 350th Shaheedi Diwas of Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur and release a commemorative coin and stamp in his honour.
He will offer Darshan and perform Pooja at the sacred Brahma Sarovar, associated with the divine revelation of the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.
His visit coincides with the ongoing International Gita Mahotsav in Kurukshetra.