Politics & Governance

The Indian Parliament's Winter Session was marked by the passage of significant legislation. The Lok Sabha approved a Nuclear Energy Bill aimed at opening the civil nuclear sector to private participation, with Union Minister Jitendra Singh stating it would help India achieve its target of 100 GW atomic energy generation by 2047. The Rajya Sabha, meanwhile, passed the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Act, 2025, which seeks to raise FDI in the insurance sector and facilitate seamless claim settlements for policyholders. Additionally, a Bill for repealing or amending 71 obsolete laws was also passed by the Upper House.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded a three-nation tour, visiting Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman, focusing on deepening bilateral cooperation. In Ethiopia, discussions with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali covered trade, investment, agriculture, renewable energy, health, education, skill development, defense, mining, Artificial Intelligence, and digital public infrastructure. PM Modi also addressed the Joint Session of the Ethiopian Parliament. A significant announcement during the tour was India's assumption of the BRICS chairmanship in 2026, with plans to host the 18th BRICS Summit.

In a diplomatic move, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Riaz Hamidullah, to express profound concern over the deteriorating security environment in Bangladesh and specific threats around the Indian Mission in Dhaka.

Domestically, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami launched a statewide campaign, "Jan-Jan Ki Sarkar, Jan-Jan Ke Dwar" (Government at the Doorstep of Every Citizen), to ensure the direct and effective delivery of public welfare schemes to people, particularly in rural and remote areas. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath issued directives to officials for ensuring social welfare and road safety arrangements amidst dense fog and cold wave conditions across the state. Meanwhile, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) flagged shortcomings in the implementation of key welfare and infrastructure schemes in Chhattisgarh, including urban housing, labour welfare, and renewable energy initiatives. The Himachal Pradesh Kisan Sabha welcomed a Supreme Court decision that set aside a High Court order directing the felling of apple trees on forest land, calling it a major victory for small and marginal farmers.

Economy

India's economy is projected to achieve robust growth, with Gita Gopinath, former IMF chief economist, anticipating around 7% GDP growth in the current fiscal year (FY26), slightly higher than the IMF's October projection. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has also raised its FY26 growth forecast to 7.3%. In a significant move for workers, the government announced a Labour Minimum Wage Hike for 2025, increasing pay rates across various job sectors for unskilled, semi-skilled, skilled, and highly skilled workers.

Ashish Chauhan, MD and CEO of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), stated that India is uniquely positioned to create a major share of global wealth over the next five decades, driven by technology, demographics, and trust-based capital markets. The DV Kapur Foundation Energy Innovation Awards 2025 were presented in New Delhi, recognizing technological innovations supporting clean energy transition and indigenous research. There was also positive news regarding education loans, with Gross Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) in Public Sector Banks declining sharply from 7% in FY 2020–21 to 2% in FY 2024–25.

Science & Technology

The Survey of India, under the Department of Science & Technology, hosted a National Workshop on Strengthening the Geospatial Ecosystem, focusing on integrating cutting-edge geospatial technologies into sectors like urban planning and environmental monitoring, aligning with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

In a significant healthcare initiative, India launched its first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven community screening program for diabetic retinopathy (DR), spearheaded by the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS). Further boosting digital health, Google pledged $400,000 to support the development of India's Health Foundation Model, leveraging its MedGemma technology to create interoperable and AI-ready health data infrastructure.

India also achieved a landmark in self-reliance with the unveiling of DHRUV64, the country's first fully indigenous 1.0 GHz, 64-bit dual-core microprocessor, developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC). Indian researchers have also made progress in Alzheimer's treatment, developing a nanoparticle-based multi-target therapy. The World Health Organization (WHO)'s second global summit on traditional medicine, co-organized with the Government of India, is underway, emphasizing a gradual integration of modern and traditional medicine systems.

Social Welfare

The Government of India launched the Clean Rivers Mission Phase-II, a major initiative aimed at rejuvenating key rivers through pollution control, wastewater treatment, and community participation, with a focus on sustainable water management. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued warnings of an intense cold wave across northern and northwestern states, advising authorities to adjust school timings and ensure student safety.

In a tribute to national heroes, the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, inaugurated the Param Vir Dirgha at Rashtrapati Bhavan on December 16, 2025 (Vijay Diwas). This gallery displays portraits of all 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees, honoring India's highest military heroes. President Murmu also conferred the National Handicrafts Awards for 2023 and 2024, celebrating exceptional artistic mastery and promoting India's rich handicraft heritage, a sector that employs over 32 lakh people, with 68% being women.

International Relations

Beyond the Prime Minister's multi-nation tour and the upcoming BRICS chairmanship, India and Argentina signed the Work Plan 2025-27 to boost bilateral agricultural research and technology exchange. However, concerns arose for Indian professionals as new vetting delays by the US State Department pushed many H-1B visa interview appointments to as late as April-May next year.

Awards & Appointments

Ravi Ranjan was appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of the State Bank of India (SBI). Suresh Goyal was named the 11th Director General of the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER). The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) became the first Indian organization to receive the prestigious Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association (IEEE SA) Corporate Award 2025. Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, received the UNEP Champions of the Earth Award 2025, the UN's highest environmental honor. DLF's Kushal Pal Singh was honored with the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' at the ET Awards for Corporate Excellence 2025.

Sports (Non-Cricket)

Indian athletes achieved notable success in various non-cricket sports. India qualified for the finals of the Asia Cup Hockey Tournament, demonstrating strong performances against top teams. Indian wrestlers showcased their excellence at the World Wrestling Ranking Series, securing medals and improving their global standings. The Indian squash team delivered a historic performance, winning their maiden World Cup gold medal at home. In shooting, Rajasthan's Anantjeet Singh Naruka and Darshna Rathore won the Senior Skeet Mixed Team Gold at the National Shooting Championship. Football legend Lionel Messi is also expected to arrive in New Delhi as part of his "GOAT India Tour," generating excitement among fans.