Politics & Governance:
The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025, which aims to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). This new legislation seeks to guarantee rural jobs for 125 days every year. The bill was passed amidst protests from the Opposition.
Parliament also approved the transformative Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025 (SHANTI Bill). This crucial legislation replaces the Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010. It is designed to bolster India's nuclear power program, enable wider application of nuclear science and technology across various sectors, and grant statutory status to the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed its passage as a "transformational moment" for India's technology landscape.
In state-level developments, the Karnataka Assembly passed the Karnataka Scheduled Castes (Sub-Categorisation) Bill, 2025, aimed at providing internal reservation to Scheduled Castes (SCs) by sub-categorizing the existing 17% reservation. Additionally, the Karnataka Assembly unanimously adopted The Karnataka Social Boycott (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, 2025, which criminalizes social boycott based on caste or class and empowers police to act suo motu.
Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar assented to the Jharkhand Platform-Based Gig Workers (Registration and Welfare) Bill, 2025, providing legal backing and welfare measures for platform-based delivery and service workers in the state.
Parliament has cleared a Bill to allow 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the insurance sector through the Sabka Bima Sabki Raksha (Amendment of Insurance Laws) Bill, 2025, aiming to attract capital and boost market penetration.
Economy & International Relations:
India and Oman signed a landmark Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on Thursday, December 18, 2025. This agreement provides Oman with duty-free access for over 98% of its tariff lines, covering nearly all Indian exports by value, including labour-intensive sectors like textiles, gems and jewellery, and engineering goods. The pact is expected to significantly boost bilateral trade beyond $10 billion annually and strengthen India's strategic presence in the Gulf region.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred Oman's highest national honour, The First Class of the Order of Oman, making him the first Indian leader to receive this prestigious award. This marks his 29th top foreign state honour, reflecting India's growing global stature.
India and the Netherlands reaffirmed their shared commitment to a free, open, inclusive, and rule-based Indo-Pacific region during a meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Netherlands Foreign Minister David van Weel. They also discussed strengthening defence cooperation, particularly in niche technology.
A Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs reported that India faces its "greatest strategic challenge" in Bangladesh since 1971, citing a potential "shift of political order" and "strategic realignment away from India" in Dhaka.
The 2nd edition of the India-United Arab Emirates (UAE) joint military exercise Desert Cyclone II is scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi from December 18-30, 2025, focusing on urban warfare and counter-terrorism.
Science & Technology:
India's science and technology landscape demonstrated significant momentum in 2025, securing the 38th position in the Global Innovation Index 2025 and ranking 6th globally in intellectual property filings. The nation also placed third globally in research publications.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted the pivotal role of geospatial technologies in achieving 'Viksit Bharat,' noting their application across infrastructure, agriculture, defence, and urban development. The Survey of India has joined the United Nations Global Geodetic Centre of Excellence.
The Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) launched India's first AI-driven community screening program for Diabetic Retinopathy.
India is actively investing in the development of Superconducting Qubit Chips under the National Quantum Mission, with thematic hubs established to foster technology development and human resource creation in quantum technologies.
India has emerged as the world's largest market for AI model adoption, attributed to its young user base, low data costs, and telecom bundling.
Awards & Appointments:
N Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, has been selected for the prestigious Economic Times 'Business Reformer of the Year' award, recognizing his pro-business policies.
Ravi Ranjan has been appointed as the Managing Director (MD) of State Bank of India (SBI), effective December 15, 2025.
The Ministry of Coal appointed B. Sairam as the Chairman-cum-Managing Director (CMD) of Coal India Limited (CIL), also effective December 15, 2025.
Sports (Non-Cricket):
A report by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) revealed that India topped the rankings of global sports drug cheats for the third straight year in 2024, with 260 positive doping cases out of 7,113 samples. Athletics, weightlifting, and wrestling had the highest number of cases.
Football icon Lionel Messi visited India, participating in a special event in Delhi that brought him together with India's world champions in boxing and para-athletics, including Sumit Antil, Nishad Kumar, and Nikhat Zareen.
The Indian squash team clinched a historic Squash World Cup title.