International Relations & Politics

Russian President Vladimir Putin's State Visit: Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in India on December 4, 2025, for a two-day state visit aimed at bolstering bilateral and economic ties. Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally received him and hosted a private dinner. Discussions are expected to focus on deepening cooperation in defense, energy, and skilled labor mobility. India is reportedly pushing for faster delivery of S-400 missile systems. The visit is particularly significant amidst existing US sanctions on Russian oil producers and American pressure on India regarding its Russian oil imports, highlighting India's efforts to balance its relations with both Moscow and Washington.

India's Stance on Israel-Hamas Conflict: India has reiterated its call for a ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and a peaceful resolution to the Israel-Hamas conflict. The government informed Parliament that it welcomed the agreement on the first phase of the Gaza Peace Plan, a position consistently articulated across various bilateral and multilateral forums.

H-1B Visas and Talent Mobility: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized that nations creating obstacles to the flow of talent across borders would ultimately be "net losers." His comments addressed concerns surrounding H-1B visas and US immigration policies, underscoring India's view that global talent mobility is mutually beneficial.

India's Engagement with the Taliban: Four years after severing ties, India has notably reopened its embassy in Kabul and is openly engaging with the Taliban regime. This shift in strategy is viewed by some as influenced by India's evolving relationship with Pakistan.

Economy & Finance

India-Russia Trade Deficit: During the ongoing discussions, India stressed the importance of reducing trade barriers and boosting its exports to Russia. The goal is to bridge the widening trade deficit and achieve a bilateral trade target of $100 billion by 2030.

Weakening Rupee Amidst Economic Growth: Despite India's economy booming with an 8.2% GDP growth in Q2 FY26, the Indian Rupee has fallen to a record low against the US dollar, breaching the Rs 90 mark. Experts suggest that global risks, increased demand for dollars due to higher imports (especially energy, electronics, and machinery), and delays in the India-US trade deal are contributing factors to this depreciation.

Concerns Over GDP Data Credibility: A recent report highlighted questions regarding the credibility of India's GDP data, pointing to a notable discrepancy between official figures and ground-level indicators. The report advocated for the adoption of transparent methodologies and robust surveys to accurately reflect the economy's true state.

Data Centre Investment Boom: India is witnessing a significant surge in data center investments, driven by digital infrastructure growth. However, experts have raised concerns about potential resource constraints, particularly power and water shortages, in key regions.

Science & Technology

Roadmap for Quantum Economy: NITI Aayog, in collaboration with IBM, unveiled a national roadmap with the ambitious goal of positioning India among the top three quantum economies globally by 2047. The plan focuses on developing indigenous quantum computing hardware and software, fostering competitive quantum enterprises, and applying quantum technologies across critical sectors like defense, healthcare, and finance.

Decade of UVIT Operations: The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) celebrated ten years of successful operations of the UltraViolet Imaging Telescope (UVIT), the primary payload on AstroSat, India's first dedicated space observatory. This milestone underscores India's advancements in UV astronomy.

Advancements in Clean Hydrogen Production: Indian scientists have developed an innovative technique to enhance catalysts used in water splitting, a crucial process for producing clean hydrogen. This breakthrough addresses a significant challenge in sustainable energy production.

New Rules to Curb Cyber Fraud: The government has issued new directives for app-based communication platforms that use mobile numbers for user identification, aiming to strengthen India's telecom cybersecurity framework and curb cyber fraud.

Social Welfare & Legal

Health and National Security Cess: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the proposed Health and National Security Cess will not be applied to essential commodities. The revenue generated from this cess, which will be levied on demerit goods associated with health risks, will be shared with states to fund specific health schemes.

Strengthened Labour Codes: New Labour Codes implemented by the government aim to enhance worker benefits across India. These reforms ensure minimum wages, provide compensation for overtime work at not less than twice the regular rate, and extend welfare schemes (including life and disability cover, health, maternity, and old-age protection) to unorganized workers, also covering accidents during commuting.

Call for National Law to Protect Doctors: A Rajya Sabha member advocated for a national law to ensure the safety and protection of doctors and healthcare workers. This call comes amid increasing reports of violence against medical professionals and concerns over inadequate state-level safeguards.

Anganwadi Staff Appointments: Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel distributed appointment letters to over 9,000 newly appointed Anganwadi workers and helpers in Gandhinagar, highlighting their vital role in nurturing children's development and contributing to a 'Viksit Bharat'.

Bhima Koregaon Case Bail: The Bombay High Court granted bail to former Delhi University associate professor Hany Babu, who had been in custody for more than five years in connection with the Elgar Parishad–Bhima Koregaon case.

CJI on Acid Attackers: Chief Justice of India Surya Kant stated that courts must show "zero sympathy" to acid attackers and that the "entire system" must respond against them. This statement was made during a hearing on a plea to formally recognize acid attack survivors as persons with specified disabilities.

Supreme Court Directive on BLOs: The Supreme Court directed state governments to replace Booth Level Officers (BLOs) who face difficulties with Special Intensive Revision (SIR) work due to health or mental issues. This ensures that the workforce for electoral roll revisions remains adequate.

Awards & Recognitions

National Awards for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities 2025: Mumbai-based audiologist and speech-language pathologist Devangi Dalal was honored by President Droupadi Murmu with the National Award for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities 2025 for her outstanding individual work. Additionally, Lieutenant Colonel Dwarakesh C of the Indian Army received the 'Sarvshreshth Divyangjan' award for his exemplary courage and service. Mizoram's Lunglei district was also recognized with the National Award in the best district category for its efforts in implementing the Accessible India Campaign and fostering a barrier-free environment.

Crossword Book Awards 2025: The prestigious 19th Crossword Book Awards saw Shanta Gokhale honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Other notable winners included Sudha Murty, Ruchir Joshi, Thomas Mathew, and Manu S. Pillai, recognized across various categories.

India Sports Awards 2025: The Archery Premier League (APL) received the 'Emerging Professional Sports Event of the Year' award at the India Sports Awards 2025, highlighting its significant impact on the Indian sports landscape.

Appointments

RBI Executive Director Appointment: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced the appointment of Usha Janakiraman as its new Executive Director (ED), effective December 1, 2025. She will lead the Department of Supervision – Risk, Analytics and Vulnerability Assessment (RAVA), bringing over three decades of regulatory and supervisory experience to the role.

Bank of America India Leadership Change: The RBI approved Vikram Sahu as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bank of America NA (BANA) in India for a three-year term. He will also continue in his role as India Country Executive. Kaku Nakhate, the former CEO, has been elevated to the position of Chair of Bank of America India.

Oil India Limited Promotions: Oil India Limited (OIL) announced the promotion of several senior executives to the Executive Director level across various strategic divisions, with appointments effective from January 2026. This move aims to strengthen corporate leadership and enhance operational efficiency.

Kerala VC Appointments: Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar conveyed his preference to the Supreme Court for the appointments of Dr. Ciza Thomas and Dr. Priya Chandran as Vice Chancellors of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technological University and Kerala University of Digital Sciences, Innovation and Technology, respectively, despite the Chief Minister's objection to one of the candidates.

Non-Cricket Sports

Archery: The Archery Premier League (APL) was recognized as the 'Emerging Professional Sports Event of the Year' at the India Sports Awards 2025, marking a significant achievement for Indian archery.

Chess: Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi secured the Jerusalem Masters 2025 title by defeating former world champion Viswanathan Anand in an all-Indian final.

Hockey: India's junior hockey teams displayed strong performances, with the men's team thrashing Switzerland 5-0 to advance to the FIH Junior World Cup Quarterfinals, and the women's team commencing their campaign with a dominant 13-0 victory over Namibia.

Football: The India men's team successfully qualified for the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup.