Politics and Governance: Parliament Winter Session Commences Amidst Debates
The Winter Session of the Indian Parliament began on December 1, 2025, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging for constructive debate and emphasizing the importance of legislative delivery over "drama." However, the Lok Sabha experienced adjournments due to strong protests from opposition parties demanding discussions on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The government indicated it was not averse to a discussion on SIR or electoral reforms but sought more time to respond. A significant development on the agenda for the session is the Atomic Energy Bill 2025, which aims to open up the nuclear power generation sector to private investment. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also introduced two bills to repurpose levies on 'sin goods' ahead of the GST compensation cess phaseout, and the Manipur GST Bill was passed. Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan assumed office as the new Rajya Sabha Chair, with PM Modi congratulating him.
Economy: Industrial Output Slows, Markets See Profit-Taking Despite Strong GDP
India's industrial production growth decelerated to a 13-month low of 0.4% in October 2025, attributed to subdued performance in the power, mining, and manufacturing sectors. Despite a robust Q2 GDP growth of 8.2%, Indian benchmark stock indices, Sensex and Nifty, closed marginally lower on December 1st after reaching fresh all-time highs. This dip was primarily due to profit-taking and outflows from foreign funds. The rupee also experienced depreciation against major currencies, signaling global volatility and underlying structural concerns. In a positive economic note, Prime Minister Modi announced a record foodgrain production of 357 million tonnes in India for 2025, highlighting a decadal growth of approximately 40% since 2015.
International Relations: India Strengthens Global Presence and Bilateral Ties
India was re-elected to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council in Category B for the 2026-27 term, securing the highest number of votes. Additionally, India also secured re-election to the UNESCO Executive Board for the 2025-29 term. In bilateral engagements, India and Poland held their 11th round of Foreign Office Consultations, agreeing to enhance cooperation in critical areas such as defense, security, science & technology, cybersecurity, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Poland reiterated its support for an early conclusion of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized the strengthening strategic partnership between India and Thailand, noting the alignment of India's 'Act East' policy with Thailand's 'Act West' policy. Thailand also sought India's support for its interest in joining BRICS during India's chairmanship in 2026. India continued its humanitarian efforts, evacuating its last batch of nationals from Sri Lanka and intensifying assistance for victims of Cyclone Ditwah, with PM Modi assuring continued support.
Science & Technology: Solar Activity and Cybersecurity Measures
A powerful X2-class solar flare erupted from a minor sunspot on December 1st, disrupting radio communications over Australia. This event occurred while a massive sunspot complex was rotating towards Earth, raising expectations for more strong flares that could impact satellites and power grids. In a move to bolster cybersecurity, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) mandated continuous SIM-linking for all messaging applications, including WhatsApp and Telegram, under the Telecommunication Cybersecurity Amendment Rules, 2025. This measure aims to curb cyber fraud and identity spoofing. Furthermore, C-DOT and IIT Roorkee collaborated to establish a Centre of Excellence for Advanced Communication Technologies.