Politics & Governance:
The Indian Parliament commenced a significant debate on the 150th anniversary of the national song 'Vande Mataram' in the Lok Sabha on December 8, 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated the discussion, emphasizing the song's historical importance during the freedom struggle. The debate is expected to continue in the Rajya Sabha.
In state-level politics, the Maharashtra government tabled supplementary demands totaling ā¹75,286.38 crore in the legislative assembly, primarily allocating funds towards farmer relief, subsidies, and social welfare schemes. Meanwhile, the Punjab Congress suspended Navjot Kaur Sidhu from its primary membership following controversial remarks about the chief minister's post. The Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced enhanced allowances and benefits for Home Guard volunteers, including increased provisions for uniforms, food, and training.
Economy & Business:
Indian equity markets witnessed a notable downturn, with the Sensex plunging over 600 points and the Nifty falling below the 26,000 mark on December 8, 2025. This decline was attributed to profit booking, continuous foreign institutional investor (FII) outflows, and caution ahead of the US Federal Reserve's interest rate decision.
In a move to boost investment and industrial activity, the Indian government introduced a new E-Production Investment E-Visa. This multiple-entry electronic travel authorization allows foreign professionals to perform various roles, including installation, commissioning, production, and senior management, for a period of six months. Telangana presented a forward-looking economic vision at the Global Summit, with Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy highlighting Hyderabad's crucial role as a cornerstone of the nation's economy. The Adani Group also announced plans to establish a 40 MW AI green data center in Hyderabad, marking a major digital infrastructure investment. Furthermore, Fino Payments Bank received an in-principle approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to convert into a small finance bank.
Science & Technology:
India is making significant strides in science and technology. The NITI Aayog's Frontier Tech Hub, in collaboration with IBM, unveiled a national roadmap aiming to transform India into one of the world's top three quantum economies by 2047. The India International Science Festival (IISF) 2025, held in Panchkula, highlighted India's deep-tech advancements and its growing role in shaping global technological trends. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh noted India's leadership in emerging areas like biotechnology, nuclear innovation, and next-generation space technologies. The ISRO Gaganyaan mission also progressed, entering the testing phase for its crew module systems, bringing India closer to its first human spaceflight.
Social Welfare:
The Human Welfare Foundation organized its annual scholarship distribution ceremony, providing educational scholarships to 75 meritorious students from Delhi and surrounding areas. New Labour Codes, which came into effect recently, aim to rationalize 29 existing labour laws to ensure better working conditions, universal minimum wages, social security for gig and migrant workers, and enhanced welfare for workers across organized and unorganized sectors. In a social welfare-related protest, animal activists in Pune rallied against the Animal Welfare Board of India's (AWBI) Standard Operating Procedure for managing stray dogs, demanding its withdrawal. The Supreme Court also clarified General Provident Fund (GPF) inheritance rules, stating that retirement savings must be shared between a man's wife and mother, irrespective of the nominee.
International Relations:
Russian President Vladimir Putin's official visit to New Delhi in December 2025 opened a new chapter in India-Russia bilateral relations. Discussions focused on creating business opportunities, strengthening economic cooperation, and enhancing connectivity through various transport corridors. China reacted positively to President Putin's visit to India, emphasizing that sound trilateral ties between China, Russia, and India contribute to regional and global peace and stability. A senior US official is also set to visit India amid ongoing efforts to conclude a bilateral trade agreement. India continued its humanitarian efforts, sending naval ships with relief supplies to Sri Lanka under "Operation Sagar Bandhu".
Awards & Appointments:
Anant Ambani, founder of the wildlife conservation initiative Vantara, was honored with the Global Humanitarian Award for Animal Welfare by the Global Humane Society. The Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) announced key leadership appointments, with Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj becoming Vice Chairperson and Mr. Rama Shankar Pandey appointed as Treasurer. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet extended Arun Kumar Singh's tenure as Chairman of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) by one year. Vikram Sahu was approved by the RBI as the Chief Executive Officer of Bank of America N.A. in India.
Non-Cricket Sports:
In non-cricket sports, FC Goa clinched a record third Super Cup title after a penalty shootout victory. Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa qualified for the Candidates 2026 in chess. PV Sindhu reached the semifinals of the Indonesia Masters in badminton. The Indian Junior Women's Hockey Team secured a 3-1 victory over Wales in a qualification match. Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra began early training for the 2026 Commonwealth Games.