December 2025

National and State News

• India Global Forum Expansion: IGF launched a $250 million investment fund in Dubai to help high-growth Indian companies scale internationally.
• UNESCO Executive Board Re-election: India was successfully re-elected to the UNESCO Executive Board for the 2025–2029 term.
• 60th All India DGP-IGP Conference: Organized in Raipur under the theme ‘Viksit Bharat, Surakshit Bharat’ to review national internal security.
• Record Foodgrain Production: India recorded an all-time high foodgrain output of 357 million tonnes for the 2024-25 crop year.
• International Maritime Organization Council: India retained its seat on the IMO Council under Category B with the highest overall vote share.
• Global Indices Review: India initiated an evaluation across 26 global performance indices via the GIRG platform to drive structural reforms.
• Power Sector Landmark: India’s installed power capacity crossed 500,000 MW, with non-fossil sources officially exceeding fossil fuel capacity.
• 7th India International Seaweed Expo: Kochi, Kerala was selected as the host city for the 7th India International Seaweed Expo and Summit.

• 26th Hornbill Festival: Nagaland inaugurated its iconic 26th Hornbill Festival at Kisama Heritage Village with international country partners.
• Tamil Nadu Geographical Indications: Tamil Nadu secured 5 new GI tags, raising its cumulative state total to 74 certified traditional products.
• NAKSHA & LandStack Symposium: New Delhi hosted a national symposium on modernizing urban land records using geospatial technologies.
• PMO Renamed to Seva Teerth: The Prime Minister’s Office was officially renamed ‘Seva Teerth’ to reflect a citizen-first governance ethos.
• Water-Positive Airport Milestone: Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport became India’s first water-positive major passenger hub.
• Global Forum on Tax Transparency: India hosted the 18th Plenary Meeting of the Global Forum on Tax Transparency in New Delhi.
• Revised Sin Tax Structure: Lok Sabha passed key legislative amendments revising sin tax structures on tobacco and pan masala ahead of GST cess expiry.
• International IDEA Chairship: India assumed the chairship of International IDEA for the first time, represented by CEC Gyanesh Kumar.
• Bharat Taxi Cooperative: Launched a driver-owned cooperative ride-hailing pilot service in Delhi and Gujarat operating on a zero-commission framework.
• Regional AI Impact Conference: Meghalaya hosted a regional conference on AI applications in governance ahead of the 2026 India-AI Summit.
• National Quantum Technology Roadmap: NITI Aayog and IBM released a roadmap positioning India to become a top-3 global quantum economy by 2047.
• UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Session: India hosted the 20th session of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding ICH at Red Fort, Delhi.
• EARTH Summit & Sahakar Sarathi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the EARTH Summit in Gujarat and launched the ‘Sahakar Sarathi’ portal for rural banks.
• Digital Electoral Rolls Milestone: Rajasthan became the first state in India to achieve 100% digitalization of electoral rolls under Special Intensive Revision.
• 11th India International Science Festival: Panchkula, Haryana hosted IISF 2025 focusing on scientific innovation and self-reliant technological development.

• White Revolution 2.0 Initiatives: Banas Dairy inaugurated a new Bio-CNG plant and laid foundation stones under White Revolution 2.0 in Gujarat.
• DHRUVA Digital Address System: India launched DHRUVA, an innovative digital addressing system providing Address as a Service (AaaS).
• Right to Disconnect Bill: Introduced in Lok Sabha to establish legal rights protecting employees from off-hours digital communication pressure.
• Internet Subscriber Growth: TRAI data revealed India’s total internet subscribers crossed 1.01 billion, with wireless broadband driving growth.
• Pariksha Pe Charcha 2026: Registrations officially opened for the 9th edition of PM Narendra Modi’s annual interaction program with students.
• Green AI Data Center: Adani Group announced a ₹2,500 crore investment to construct a 48 MW green energy AI data center in Telangana.
• Gyan Bharatam National Project: Launched to survey, preserve, and digitize ancient Indian manuscripts into a centralized digital repository.
• WHO Summit on Traditional Medicine: Hosted at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, focusing on integrating traditional medicine with primary healthcare systems.
• NATGRID Database Integration: NATGRID integrated with police station databases nationwide, processing over 45,000 anti-terror queries per month.
• Solar Pump Installation Record: Maharashtra created a Guinness World Record by installing nearly 46,000 off-grid solar agricultural pumps in 30 days.
• Telangana Rising Summit Commitments: Secured investment commitments worth ₹5.75 lakh crore across renewable energy, IT, and manufacturing sectors.
• Global AI Conclave 2025: IIT Madras co-hosted the conclave to establish actionable global ethical frameworks and safety guidelines for AI.
• Gen-Z Post Office Extension: India Post inaugurated Kerala’s first youth-centric extension counter at CMS College in Kottayam.
• Your Money Your Right Campaign: Nationwide financial literacy initiative launched to help citizens identify and claim forgotten bank deposits and assets.
• State Watershed Mahotsav: Nagaland launched the initiative to accelerate community-driven natural water resource conservation in hill districts.
• Green Tug Transition Programme: India initiated steel-cutting for its first fully electric zero-emission tugboat under the ministry’s green shipping initiative.
• Indigenous Hydrogen Train: Indian Railways completed development of India’s first 10-coach hydrogen fuel-cell train prototype based in Jind.
• Pagdi System Legal Reform: Maharashtra legislature introduced a framework allowing tenants in Mumbai’s century-old Pagdi properties to convert to ownership.
• MahaCrimeOS Platform: Maharashtra government partnered with Microsoft to deploy an AI-driven platform for automated cybercrime investigation.
• Indigenous Hydrogen Passenger Vessel: India inaugurated its first commercial hydrogen fuel cell ferry service operating along the Ganga river in Varanasi.
• First Ramsar Site in Chhattisgarh: Chhattisgarh officially declared the Kopra Reservoir in Bilaspur district as its first international Ramsar wetland.
• Guwahati Airport Expansion: PM Modi inaugurated a modern passenger terminal and unveiled an 80-foot statue of Lokpriya Gopinath Bardoloi.
• Namrup Fertilizer Plant: Foundation stone laid for a ₹10,601 crore eco-friendly ammonia-urea fertilizer complex in Namrup, Assam.
• Gig Workers Social Security Act: Jharkhand Assembly passed legislation granting social security, registration, and health benefits to platform gig workers.
• India’s First Forest University: Uttar Pradesh announced the establishment of the country’s first dedicated Forestry University in Gorakhpur.
• Auroville Institution Status: A parliamentary committee recommended designating the Auroville Foundation as an ‘Institution of National Importance’.
• Smooth-Coated Otter Conservation: Tamil Nadu launched a project to protect vulnerable smooth-coated otter populations in the Cauvery Delta region.
• 11th UNCAC Conference in Doha: Doha hosted the UN Convention Against Corruption session, adopting the Doha Declaration on combatting AI-assisted financial fraud.
• NCR Air Quality Assessment: Health Effects Institute report revealed all 20 of India’s most polluted monitoring stations in 2024 were located in Delhi-NCR.
• Bureau of Port Security: Union Government established a statutory Bureau of Port Security under the Merchant Shipping Act to secure maritime hubs.
• Higher Education Internationalization: NITI Aayog released a policy report addressing imbalances and outlining reforms for foreign university partnerships.
• Chillai Kalan in Kashmir: Jammu & Kashmir marked the onset of ‘Chillai Kalan’, the traditional 40-day period of intense winter and sub-zero temperatures.
• Delhi Metro Phase V(A) Clearance: Union Cabinet approved three new Metro corridors spanning 32 km worth ₹12,014 crore to expand capital connectivity.
• PM-YUVA 3.0 Mentorship Winners: National Book Trust selected 43 young authors under the mentorship scheme for publishing grants.
• Raisin Research Centre: Shivaji University approved the setup of a dedicated agricultural research institute in Sangli to support viticulture.
• Institutional Deliveries Benchmark: National health statistics recorded institutional birth deliveries reaching 89%, reducing maternal mortality ratios.
• Ancient Labyrinth Discovery: Archaeologists discovered India’s largest 15-circuit stone labyrinth dating back to the megalithic period in Solapur, Maharashtra.
• AI Wildlife Collision System: Indian Railways expanded optical AI sensors and thermal cameras along tracks to prevent elephant train collisions.
• Subansiri Hydropower Commissioning: Unit-2 (250 MW) of the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project along the Assam-Arunachal border was commissioned.
• Humanitarian Assistance to Sri Lanka: India dispatched $450 million in relief materials, medical kits, and engineering support following Cyclone Ditwah.
• Rashtra Prerna Sthal Memorial: PM Modi inaugurated the grand memorial in Lucknow dedicated to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• Hansi Declared 23rd District: Haryana government officially issued notification declaring Hansi as the state’s 23rd administrative district.
• 5th Chief Secretaries Conference: PM Modi chaired the national conference in New Delhi focusing on human capital, skill development, and Viksit Bharat 2047.
• Tiger State Status Restored: National Tiger Conservation Authority officially re-declared Gujarat as a tiger-bearing state after verified sightings in Dang.
• New Domestic Airline Licenses: Ministry of Civil Aviation granted No Objection Certificates (NOC) to regional carriers Al Hind Air and FlyExpress.
• Dhanu Yatra Festival: Bargarh, Odisha inaugurated the world’s largest open-air theater festival based on the mythological story of Lord Krishna and Kansa.
• Central Firearm Tracking Database: Union Home Ministry launched a centralized database to log lost, stolen, and seized government firearms nationwide.
• Indigenous MRI Scanner: VoxelGrids developed India’s first indigenously designed 1.5 Tesla MRI scanner to reduce diagnostic healthcare costs.
• BIS Incense Stick Standard: Bureau of Indian Standards published IS 19412:2025, setting national safety and purity benchmarks for agarbattis.
• World-Record Sand Santa: Sudarsan Pattnaik created a world-record sand and apple Santa Claus sculpture on Puri beach promoting green Christmas.

• Santhali Constitution Translation: President Murmu released the official Santhali language translation of the Constitution written in the Ol Chiki script.
• National Anti-Terror Policy: Union Government initiated final drafting for India’s first unified National Anti-Terror Policy and strategy.
• Aravalli Mining Ban: MoEFCC notified a blanket ban on new mining leases across the entire Aravalli Range to prevent ecological degradation.
• Sharadchandra Pawar AI Centre: Inaugurated in Baramati, Maharashtra to foster regional AI research in agriculture and rural healthcare.
• PPP Tribal Medical Colleges: Madhya Pradesh became the first state to build medical colleges under Public-Private Partnerships in tribal districts.
• Supreme Court Article 21 Ruling: Supreme Court held that mere pendency of a criminal case cannot automatically justify withholding passport renewal rights.

Government Schemes and Policies

• Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters: Union Cabinet approved CGSE providing up to ₹20,000 crore extra liquidity for Indian exporters.
• 8th Pay Commission Clarification: Central government clarified there is no active proposal to merge Dearness Allowance with basic pay.
• e-Swathu 2.0 Portal: Karnataka launched the digital platform e-Swathu 2.0 to streamline rural property registration and tax administration.
• Atal Pension Yojana Benchmark: APY crossed 8.34 crore total enrolments, with female subscribers accounting for nearly 48% of the base.
• PAHAL LPG Biometric Authentication: Biometric authentication reached 69% for Ujjwala beneficiaries to ensure transparent LPG subsidy distribution.
• Sanchar Saathi App Voluntary Policy: Department of Telecommunications made the pre-installation of Sanchar Saathi app strictly voluntary following privacy feedback.
• Deen Dayal Lado Lakshmi Yojana: Haryana revised its scheme payout to a quarterly disbursement of ₹6,300 for eligible women.

• Record Aadhaar Authentications: Aadhaar authentications touched a record 231 crore transactions in November 2025, led by face authentication for life certificates.
• Jan Dhan Deposit Benchmark: Total deposits under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana crossed ₹2.75 lakh crore across 56 crore bank accounts.
• MGNREGS Renamed & Expanded: Union Cabinet renamed MGNREGS as ‘Poojya Bapu Grameen Rozgar Yojana’ and extended guaranteed employment to 125 days.
• National SC/ST Hub Scheme: MSME Ministry launched extended capacity-building initiatives under NSSH to promote inclusive entrepreneurship.
• Viksit Bharat Rozgar Mission Act: The legislation officially replaced MGNREGA, guaranteeing 125 days of work and structured rural livelihoods.
• PM Surya Ghar Rooftop Solar: Gujarat achieved the top rank nationally in rooftop solar capacity installations under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana.
• EPFO Digital Pension Reforms: EPFO introduced centralized IT system architecture and automated claim settlement processes to assist subscribers.

Banking and Financial news

• RBI Penalty on Mannakrishna: RBI imposed a monetary penalty of ₹3.10 lakh on Mannakrishna Investments for non-compliance with NBFC directions.
• House Price Index Q2 FY26: RBI data showed All-India House Price Index growth moderated to 2.2% year-on-year under a revised base series.
• Tata Realty Green Financing: Tata Realty secured a ₹1,280 crore green loan facility from DBS Bank India to develop sustainable office parks.
• NBBL Banking Connect Launch: NPCI Bharat BillPay launched ‘Banking Connect’ to simplify digital payment integration for corporate merchants.
• ADB $475.8M Health & Tourism Loan: Asian Development Bank approved loan funding to upgrade public health systems and ecotourism infrastructure in Northeast India.
• IMF National Accounts Grading: IMF downgraded India’s national accounts statistical quality score to ‘C’ due to delayed base year revisions.
• SWIFT ISO 20022 Migration: Indian banking sector achieved 100% compliance with SWIFT’s ISO 20022 messaging standards ahead of global deadlines.
• National Strategy for Financial Inclusion: RBI released the NSFI framework for 2025–2030 targeting last-mile digital credit access and financial literacy.
• ADB Solar Grid Agreements: India signed $800 million loan agreements with ADB to fund solar power transmission corridors and regional energy grid projects.
• Project Finance Centre of Excellence: SBI and Bank of India executed an MoU to establish a joint specialized center for large infrastructure loan appraisals.
• Industrial Output October Slump: India’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP) growth slowed to a 14-month low of 0.4% due to manufacturing contraction.
• CRISIL Upgraded GDP Forecast: CRISIL raised India’s FY26 GDP growth estimate to 7.0% following stronger-than-expected agricultural and service sector output.
• RBI Ombudsman Annual Report: Banking ombudsman complaints increased by 13% in FY25, driven mainly by mobile banking and credit card issues.

• Digital Credit Assessment Model: Ministry of MSME and SIDBI introduced an automated Credit Assessment Model (CAM) for quick loan approvals.
• Regional Language Mandate: RBI directed all commercial banks to provide customer service forms, contracts, and digital apps in regional languages.
• Current Account Deficit Q2 FY26: India’s CAD narrowed to $12.3 billion (1.3% of GDP) due to higher services exports and lower merchandise trade gaps.
• First-Half FDI Inflows Growth: DPIIT reported an 18% increase in total Foreign Direct Investment inflows reaching $35.18 billion during H1 FY26.
• Razorpay Cross-Border License: RBI granted final authorization to Razorpay to operate as a Cross-Border Payment Aggregator (PA-CB) for imports/exports.
• OECD India Growth Outlook: OECD maintained India’s economic growth projection steady at 6.7% for FY26 citing resilient private consumption.
• Domestic Systemically Important Banks: RBI retained SBI, HDFC Bank, and ICICI Bank as D-SIBs, requiring them to hold additional common equity tier-1 capital.
• LIC New Life Products: LIC launched two non-participating insurance products titled ‘Protection Plus’ and ‘Bima Kavach’.
• UPI-KHQR Cross-Border Payment: NPCI International partnered with Cambodia’s ACLEDA Bank to enable instant QR code payments between India and Cambodia.
• Global South Debt Service Surge: World Bank report highlighted developing countries spent a record $741 billion in debt service costs between 2022 and 2024.
• SEBI SWAGAT-FI Framework: SEBI launched a single-window fast-track portal to simplify registration for low-risk Foreign Portfolio Investors.
• DRI 68th Foundation Day: Directorate of Revenue Intelligence celebrated its 68th day, highlighting major contraband seizures and anti-smuggling drives.
• Fitch FY26 Growth Upgrade: Fitch Ratings raised India’s GDP growth forecast for FY26 to 7.4% on the back of sustained domestic infrastructure demand.
• FPO Shakti Capital Initiative: Vrutti and HSBC India partnered to roll out ‘FPO Shakti’ to provide blended finance to Farmer Producer Organisations.
• Fino Payments Bank SFB License: Fino received in-principle approval from RBI to convert its operational license into a Small Finance Bank.
• Banking Laws Amendment Act 2025: Enacted to allow account holders up to four nominees and revise auditing standards across commercial banks.
• LIC & Yes Bank Bancassurance: LIC signed a corporate agency pact with Yes Bank to distribute life insurance products across its nationwide branches.

• Revised Gold Metal Loan Guidelines: RBI issued updated operational directives for banks extending Gold Metal Loans to jewelry exporters effective April 2026.
• PNB Luxura Metal Card: Punjab National Bank introduced its high-end RuPay metal credit card ‘Luxura’ targeting affluent customers.
• Large Exposure Limit Norms: RBI updated credit concentration frameworks for foreign bank branches operating under single-borrower caps.
• BSBD Account Service Mandate: RBI ruled that Basic Savings Bank Deposit account holders must receive free ATM/debit cards and digital access without charges.
• DHRUVA Postal Consultation: Department of Posts published draft rules to integrate the DHRUVA digital location coding system into national logistics.
• IMF UPI Dominance Report: IMF study revealed India’s UPI accounts for 49% of all global real-time digital payment transaction volumes.
• Crackdown on Illegal Loan Apps: Ministry of Finance and RBI instructed app stores and telcos to block unauthorized digital lending platforms.
• Repo Rate Cut to 5.25%: RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee reduced the benchmark repo rate by 25 bps to 5.25% while holding a neutral stance.
• Liquidity Injection Framework: RBI announced ₹1 lakh crore Open Market Operation purchases and a $5 billion forex buy-sell swap to ease systemic liquidity.
• SEBI PaRRVA Portal: SEBI partnered with NSE and CAREEdge to launch PaRRVA to verify historical performance claims made by investment advisors.
• November UPI Volume: UPI processed 20.47 billion transactions worth ₹21.85 lakh crore in November 2025 following peak festival demand.
• ICICI Prudential AMC IPO: SEBI approved the asset management company’s proposal to launch a ₹10,000-crore Initial Public Offering.
• Rupee Currency Limits for Nepal/Bhutan: RBI raised limits allowing Indian residents to carry up to ₹25,000 in higher denomination currency notes when travelling.
• PSB Bad Debt Recovery: Public Sector Banks wrote off ₹6.15 lakh crore in non-performing assets over 5 years while recovering ₹1.85 lakh crore.
• OneCard Co-Branded Pause: RBI directed issuing bank partners to temporarily pause onboarding new customers on OneCard credit cards pending audit.
• RBI Forecasters Survey Growth 7.0%: The 97th Survey of Professional Forecasters projected real GDP growth of 7.0% for FY26 and 6.8% for FY27.
• Credit Information Reporting 4x Monthly: RBI directed lenders to submit updated credit data to credit bureaus four times a month starting July 2026.
• Special Ombudsman Resolution Campaign: RBI announced a two-month intensive drive starting January 1, 2026, to clear pending customer grievances.
• Groww Corporate Bond Approval: SEBI registered Groww as an Online Bond Platform Provider allowing retail investors to trade corporate debt securities.
• Merchant Banking Capital Thresholds: SEBI overhauled regulations setting net worth requirements at ₹50 crore for Category-I merchant bankers.
• IDFC First WOW! Black Card: IDFC First Bank launched an FD-backed premium credit card offering zero foreign exchange markup fees.
• Airpay Payment Aggregator License: Airpay received full authorization from RBI to operate as a full-stack cross-border payment aggregator.
• NABARD Rural Demand Revival Report: NABARD’s 8th Economic Survey reported strong growth in rural household consumption and agricultural capital formation.
• Indian Digital Payment Intelligence Corp: SBI and Bank of Baroda received regulatory nod to form IDPIC to track cross-bank fraud networks in real-time.
• Rupee Interest Rate Derivatives: RBI permitted onshore non-deliverable rupee interest rate swaps for both domestic and foreign market participants.
• Wise Multi-Currency Card: Wise launched a zero-markup international travel debit card supporting over 40 global currencies for Indian users.
• Banker’s Best Bank Award: Bank of Baroda was named ‘Best Bank in India’ at The Banker’s 2025 Asia-Pacific Banking Awards in Singapore.

• Unclaimed Financial Asset Settlements: The ‘Your Money, Your Right’ drive successfully enabled citizens to settle over ₹2,000 crore in dormant deposits.
• Digital Consent Acquisition Pilot: TRAI launched a trial with telecom providers and banks to enforce explicit customer consent before commercial SMS generation.
• Sahaj Micro-Insurance License: Sahaj Insurance obtained an IRDAI corporate agency license to sell affordable micro-life and health coverage in villages.
• ADB GDP Forecast Upgrade 7.2%: Asian Development Bank raised India’s FY26 growth estimate to 7.2% citing public infrastructure expenditure.
• IndusInd Jio-bp Fuel Card: IndusInd Bank partnered with Jio-bp to launch a co-branded RuPay credit card offering fuel surcharge waivers.
• Amazon $35B India Investment Plan: Amazon committed to investing over $35 billion across cloud infrastructure, e-commerce, and logistics in India by 2030.
• SalarySe UPI Credit Card: SalarySe and City Union Bank launched India’s first salary-linked RuPay credit card operating on UPI rails.
• AU SFB Foreign Investment Limit: Finance Ministry approved increasing foreign institutional investment headroom in AU Small Finance Bank up to 74%.
• Cash Credit & Overdraft Norms: RBI flexible norms permitted corporate borrowers to adjust credit operational caps in alignment with working capital cycles.
• CBDT NUDGE Campaign: Central Board of Direct Taxes launched an automated data analytics drive to detect bogus deduction and donation claims.
• China $1 Trillion Trade Surplus: China’s annual trade surplus breached $1 trillion for the first time in history driven by strong non-US export growth.
• Sberbank Nifty50 Mutual Fund: Russia’s Sberbank launched an onshore mutual fund giving Russian retail investors direct investment access to India’s Nifty50.
• World Bank $600M Clean Air Loan: World Bank approved $600 million financing to implement airshed management programs in Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
• Strategic Investor Scope for REITs: SEBI expanded the definition of ‘Strategic Investor’ to include all Qualified Institutional Buyers in REIT and InvIT offerings.
• JPMorgan Pune Branch Clearance: JPMorgan received RBI clearance to open a new operational bank branch in Pune, expanding its Indian footprint.
• Risk-Based Deposit Insurance: DICGC approved transitioning from a flat-rate deposit insurance premium to a risk-based model for commercial banks.
• SIB Paytag Contactless Sticker: South Indian Bank introduced ‘SIB Paytag’, a micro NFC contactless sticker that turns smartphones into payment tools.
• HCLTech ASN Bank Deal: HCLTech secured a multi-year IT transformation contract with Dutch sustainable financial institution ASN Bank.
• Pay Later with BharatPe: BharatPe partnered with Yes Bank to introduce instantaneous digital credit lines for small merchants on UPI.
• 2025 Unicorn Birth Reset: Tracxn report confirmed India added only 5 new tech unicorns in 2025 amid global venture capital funding corrections.
• Mswipe Final PA License: Mswipe Technologies received its final Payment Aggregator license from the RBI to process merchant transactions.
• PayNearby Voice UPI App: PayNearby obtained NPCI TPAP approval to launch ‘PayNearby Saathi’, a voice-assisted multilingual UPI app for rural users.
• Canara ai1Pe Interoperable App: Canara Bank launched ‘Canara ai1Pe’, a multi-bank interoperable UPI payment application for non-Canara customers.
• PFRDA NPS Exit Amendment: PFRDA simplified pension withdrawal norms, allowing subscribers to retain up to 40% corpus in systematic investment plans.
• 3-Hour Cheque Clearance Deferral: RBI deferred Phase-2 implementation of continuous cheque clearing to allow bank backend systems full technological integration.
• GIFT City Global Center Norms: IFSCA relaxed office space and local staffing requirements for Global In-House Centers operating in GIFT IFSC.
• DFCCIL ₹10,000 Cr Refinancing: Dedicated Freight Corridor Corp signed a ₹10,000 crore refinancing deal with IRFC to optimize long-term debt costs.

• Axis Digital Merchant Cash Advance: Axis Bank introduced collateral-free instant digital working capital loans up to ₹10 lakh for small retail store owners.
• New Macroeconomic Index Series: MoSPI announced plans to release updated Consumer Price Index and IIP series with 2022-23 base year in early 2026.
• NPCI Centralized Autopay Portal: NPCI launched a unified portal allowing customers to view, pause, or revoke recurring UPI Autopay mandates across banks.
• GST Growth Leadership: Odisha recorded the highest long-term state GST revenue growth rate, while Maharashtra maintained top overall tax collections.
• Goldman Sachs Economic Outlook: Goldman Sachs projected Indian GDP growth at 6.7% for calendar year 2026 and 6.8% for 2027.
• BSDA Valuation Exclusions: SEBI excluded Zero Coupon Zero Principal bonds and unlisted securities from threshold limits for Basic Services Demat Accounts.
• NABARD ₹1,300 Cr Agritech Fund: NABARD announced thematic VC funds dedicated to funding early-stage agritech and climate-resilient farming startups.
• Duplicate Securities Simplification: SEBI doubled the simplified documentation threshold limit to ₹10 lakh for issuing duplicate share certificates.
• LIC & Sahaj Rural Penetration: LIC signed an agreement with Sahaj to leverage its 100,000 rural service centers for selling micro-insurance policies.
• IRDAI Penalty on Reliance General: IRDAI imposed a ₹1 crore penalty on Reliance General Insurance for non-compliance with statutory claim settlement guidelines.
• BSE BANKEX Reconstitution: BSE reconstituted its BANKEX index, incorporating Union Bank of India, Canara Bank, IDFC First Bank, and AU SFB.
• Third-Largest Fuel Retail Market: India officially became the world’s third-largest retail fuel market, crossing 100,000 operational petrol pumps.
• Sber Bank Gold Import Approval: Ministry of Commerce added Russia’s Sber Bank to the list of nominated agencies authorized to import gold into India.
• Q4 Treasury Bill Borrowings: Union Government scheduled ₹3.84 lakh crore in short-term T-Bill auctions during the final quarter of FY26.
• Bank NPA Multi-Decadal Low: RBI report confirmed Indian commercial banks closed FY25 with a 2.1% gross NPA ratio, the lowest level in over two decades.
• ATM Infrastructure Reduction: RBI data showed total operating ATMs decreased slightly in FY25 as digital payments reduced cash withdrawal frequency.
• Tracxn Global Unicorn Report: India ranked third globally by producing 5 out of 111 new tech unicorns created worldwide in calendar year 2025.

International News

• Cyclone Ditwah Formation: Formed over the southwest Bay of Bengal causing heavy rains in Sri Lanka and coastal India; named by Yemen.
• Oxford Word of the Year 2025: Oxford University Press officially crowned ‘Rage Bait’ as its 2025 Word of the Year following public voting.
• Global Cooperative Cultural Site: Kerala’s 100-year-old ULCCS labor cooperative was designated a Global Cooperative Cultural Heritage Site by ICA.
• SOLAR Initiative Phase II: IWMI launched the second phase of the SOLAR initiative to expand climate-smart solar irrigation in South Asia and Africa.
• Canada Sanctions Policy Shift: Canada delisted Syria from its state-sponsored terrorism list and revoked terror designations for HTS.
• WMO La Niña Forecast: World Meteorological Organization reported a 55% probability of a weak La Niña event developing in late 2025.
• Under-16 Social Media Ban: Australia enforced a world-first law banning children under 16 from social media platforms under severe compliance fines.
• CITES CoP20 Summit: Concluded in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, adopting enhanced protection standards for endangered flora and fauna.
• UNESCO Inscription for Boreendo: Pakistan’s ancient 5,000-year-old terracotta clay flute ‘Boreendo’ was inscribed on the UNESCO Urgent Safeguarding List.
• BRICS Presidency Transfer: Brazil officially handed over the rotating BRICS chairship to India for the upcoming 2026 calendar year.

Awards and Honours

• IFFI Postcard Stamp Honor: Veteran cinematographer K Vaikunth was honored with a special commemorative postal stamp at IFFI 2025 in Goa.
• Global Rum Brand Title: Camikara won ‘Rum Brand of the Year’ at London Spirits Business Awards, becoming the first Indian rum to win.
• Youngest Self-Made Billionaire: 29-year-old Kalshi co-founder Luana Lopes Lara became the world’s youngest self-made woman billionaire.
• Microsoft Store App Award: Perplexity AI won top honors at Microsoft Store Awards for its multimodal conversational search engine.
• World Athletes of the Year 2025: Armand Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone were crowned male and female World Athletes of the Year by World Athletics.
• Inaugural FIFA Peace Prize: US President Donald Trump received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize during the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, D.C.
• PETA India Person of the Year: Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon was named PETA India’s 2025 Person of the Year for animal protection advocacy.
• Global Humanitarian Award: Anant Ambani became the youngest recipient of the Global Humanitarian Award for Animal Welfare for establishing Vantara.
• TIME 2025 CEO of the Year: YouTube CEO Neal Mohan was named TIME Magazine’s 2025 CEO of the Year for leading creator economy growth.

• Shilp Guru & National Handicrafts Awards: President Droupadi Murmu presented Shilp Guru titles to master craftspeople at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• Golden Globe Horizon Award: Alia Bhatt received the honor at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah for global cinematic contributions.
• TIME 2025 Athlete of the Year: WNBA superstar A’ja Wilson was named TIME’s 2025 Athlete of the Year following her record championship season.
• TIME 2025 Entertainer of the Year: Leonardo DiCaprio was named TIME’s 2025 Entertainer of the Year for artistic achievements and environmental activism.
• TIME Person of the Year 2025: TIME Magazine named the ‘Architects of Artificial Intelligence’ as its 2025 Person of the Year.
• 7th Iron Statue of Lionel Messi: Unveiled in Kolkata, featuring a 70-foot iron sculpture holding the FIFA World Cup trophy.
• Union Home Minister Efficiency Medal: CRPF Officer Dinesh Khatak was awarded the medal for distinguished anti-Naxal operational leadership.
• 40 Under 40 Legal Award: Supreme Court advocate Shubham Awasthi was conferred the award for achievements in public interest litigation.
• Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres: French government awarded publisher Ravi Deecee the prestigious honor for promoting Indo-French literary cultural exchange.
• Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025: President Droupadi Murmu conferred India’s top science awards to 24 distinguished scientists and research teams.
• Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar: President Murmu presented national awards to exceptional children in innovation, sports, and social service categories.
• Bal Puraskar for Cricket Prodigy: 14-year-old cricketer Vaibhav Suryavanshi received the Bal Puraskar following his record-breaking domestic performance.

Appointments & Resignations

• CBIC Chairman Appointment: Vivek Chaturvedi took charge as Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.
• Controller of Warship Production: Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu assumed charge as Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition for the Indian Navy.
• BSF Director General Charge: ITBP Chief Praveen Kumar was given additional charge as Director General of Border Security Force.
• IAF Inspection & Safety Head: Air Marshal Tejbir Singh took over as Director General (Inspection & Safety) of the Indian Air Force.
• RBI Executive Director Appointment: Usha Janakiraman was appointed RBI Executive Director supervising the Department of Supervision.
• LIC Managing Director: Ramakrishnan Chander assumed charge as Managing Director of Life Insurance Corporation of India.
• PNB Female Brand Ambassador: Punjab National Bank appointed Indian women’s cricket captain Harmanpreet Kaur as its brand ambassador.

• Railway Board Member Finance: Aparna Garg assumed charge as Member (Finance) of the Railway Board.
• DP World Global Ambassador: DP World appointed cricketer Abhishek Sharma as brand ambassador alongside Sachin Tendulkar.
• First Woman VC of Nagpur University: Manali Makarand Kshirsagar was appointed first woman Vice-Chancellor of Nagpur University in its 102-year history.
• UN Resident Coordinator in India: UN Secretary-General appointed Stefan Priesner as the UN Resident Coordinator in India.
• AU SFB Brand Ambassadors: AU Small Finance Bank appointed actors Ranbir Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna as national brand ambassadors.
• Bank of America India CEO: RBI approved the appointment of Vikram Sahu as Chief Executive Officer of Bank of America India.
• Reliance Retail President & CEO: Reliance Retail Ventures appointed Jeyandran Venugopal as its inaugural President and Chief Executive Officer.
• ONGC Chairman Extension: Cabinet Appointments Committee extended Arun Kumar Singh’s tenure as ONGC Chairman by one year.
• NRAI President Re-election: Kalikesh Narayan Singh Deo was re-elected President of the National Rifle Association of India.
• Apple Vice-President of AI: Apple appointed Bengaluru-educated AI researcher Amar Subramanya as Vice-President of Artificial Intelligence.
• Bank of Baroda Campaign Ambassador: Sachin Tendulkar featured as primary ambassador in Bank of Baroda’s global ‘Masterstroke’ brand campaign.

Summits & Conferences

• 60th All India DGP-IGP Conference: Held in Raipur, Chhattisgarh focusing on internal security strategy under the theme ‘Viksit Bharat, Surakshit Bharat’.
• 18th Global Forum on Tax Transparency: Hosted by India in New Delhi, bringing together tax authorities from over 130 countries.
• EARTH Summit Gujarat: Inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Gandhinagar, focusing on environmental sustainability and green energy.
• WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine: Organized at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi to integrate traditional health practices into primary healthcare systems.
• Telangana Rising Global Summit: Held in Hyderabad, securing investment pledges worth ₹5.75 lakh crore across technology and green energy sectors.
• 5th National Chief Secretaries Conference: Chaired by PM Narendra Modi in New Delhi, focusing on human capital development for Viksit Bharat 2047.

MoUs and Agreement

• SBI & Bank of India MoU: Signed a partnership to establish a joint specialized Centre of Excellence for project financing appraisals.
• NIPL & ACLEDA Bank MoU: Partnered to implement cross-border QR code payments connecting India’s UPI with Cambodia’s KHQR system.
• Maharashtra & Microsoft MoU: Partnered to develop and deploy ‘MahaCrimeOS’, an AI-powered portal for cybercrime investigations.
• Vrutti & HSBC India MoU: Collaborated to launch ‘FPO Shakti’ to improve institutional capital access for Farmer Producer Organisations.
• IndusInd Bank & Jio-bp MoU: Partnered to launch a co-branded RuPay fuel credit card with merchant rewards and surcharge waivers.
• LIC & Yes Bank Bancassurance Pact: Signed a strategic corporate agency agreement for nationwide distribution of LIC life insurance products.

Acquisitions & Mergers

• AU Small Finance Bank Equity Expansion: Finance Ministry cleared raising the foreign institutional investment ceiling in AU SFB up to 74%.
• ICICI Prudential AMC Equity Restructuring: SEBI cleared ICICI Prudential AMC’s ₹10,000-crore Initial Public Offering filing.

• Fino Payments Bank Conversion: Fino received regulatory in-principle approval to convert its operating business into a Small Finance Bank.

Science and Technology

• National Quantum Roadmap: NITI Aayog and IBM launched a roadmap targeting top-3 global status in quantum computing for India by 2047.
• DHRUVA Location Framework: India launched DHRUVA, an indigenous alphanumeric spatial addressing system replacing physical street addresses.
• NATGRID Counter-Terror Platform: NATGRID successfully integrated crime databases across 17,000 police stations for real-time intelligence analysis.
• Indigenous 1.5T MRI Scanner: VoxelGrids introduced India’s first indigenously developed MRI scanner to lower advanced diagnostic costs.
• Gyan Bharatam Manuscript Digitization: National mission launched to scan and catalog over 30 lakh ancient manuscripts using AI-assisted character recognition.
• AI Wildlife Protection Sensors: Indian Railways deployed optical AI cameras and acoustic track sensors to detect wildlife movement near tracks.

Defence News

• Centralized Firearm Tracking System: India launched its first national digital registry to track lost, stolen, and seized law enforcement firearms.
• Controller of Warship Production: Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu assumed charge as the Navy’s Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition.
• BSF Leadership: ITBP Director General Praveen Kumar took additional charge as Director General of Border Security Force.

• IAF Safety Directorship: Air Marshal Tejbir Singh assumed charge as Director General (Inspection & Safety) of the Indian Air Force.

Ranking and Indexes

• IMO Category B Council Ranking: India ranked first in total votes received to retain its Category B seat on the International Maritime Organization Council.
• Most Polluted Monitoring Stations Report: Health Effects Institute report confirmed all 20 of India’s most polluted monitoring stations in 2024 were in Delhi-NCR.
• Rooftop Solar Adoption Rankings: Gujarat ranked #1 in India for total solar rooftop capacity installed under the PM Surya Ghar scheme.
• GST Revenue Growth Rankings: Odisha recorded the highest long-term state GST growth rate, while Maharashtra led absolute revenue collections.

Environment News

• Aravalli Mining Prohibition: MoEFCC issued a blanket ban on new mining leases across the entire Aravalli Range to protect ecological buffers.
• Kopra Reservoir Ramsar Site: Chhattisgarh’s Kopra Reservoir in Bilaspur district was officially designated as an international Ramsar site.
• Tiger State Status Restored: Gujarat was officially re-declared a tiger-bearing state by the NTCA following verified tiger sightings in Dang forests.
• Otter Conservation Initiative: Tamil Nadu launched a dedicated conservation project for smooth-coated otters in the Cauvery Delta region.

Books and Author

• PM-YUVA 3.0 Mentorship Authors: National Book Trust selected 43 young Indian authors under PM-YUVA 3.0 to write and publish original historical works.

 

Sports News

• Vaibhav Suryavanshi Bal Puraskar: 14-year-old cricket sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi received the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar for record domestic performances.

• World Athletes of the Year 2025: World Athletics named pole vaulter Armand Duplantis and hurdler Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone as Athletes of the Year.
• TIME Athlete of the Year 2025: WNBA star A’ja Wilson was crowned TIME’s 2025 Athlete of the Year following her WNBA title victory.
• Messi Statue Unveiling: A 70-foot iron statue honoring FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi was unveiled in Kolkata.

Obituaries

K Vaikunth Commemorative Honor: IFFI 2025 paid tribute to the late veteran cinematographer K Vaikunth with a special Indian Postal stamp.

Important Days

• World Computer Literacy Day 2025: Observed globally on December 2 to boost digital education and awareness among women and children.
• International Day for the Abolition of Slavery: Marked on December 2 to raise awareness against modern forced labor and human trafficking.
• National Pollution Control Day: Observed on December 2 to pay tribute to the victims of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy.
• International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Celebrated on December 3 to empower disabled individuals and promote accessibility worldwide.
• Indian Navy Day 2025: Observed on December 4 to honor Operation Trident and celebrate the strength of the Indian Naval Forces.
• International Cheetah Day: Marked on December 4 to raise global awareness about conserving the world’s fastest land animal.
• World Soil Day 2025: Celebrated on December 5 under the theme ‘Healthy Soils for Healthy Cities’ to promote sustainable soil management.
• International Volunteer Day: Observed on December 5 with the theme ‘Every Contribution Matters’ to recognize individual voluntary efforts.
• Mahaparinirvan Diwas: B.R. Ambedkar’s death anniversary was observed on December 6 to honor the chief architect of the Indian Constitution.
• International Civil Aviation Day: Marked on December 7 to highlight the crucial role of international civil aviation in socio-economic growth.
• Armed Forces Flag Day: Observed across India on December 7 to honor military personnel and collect funds for veteran welfare.
• International Anti-Corruption Day: Celebrated on December 9 to highlight the damaging impact of corruption on governance and society.
• Human Rights Day 2025: Observed on December 10 with the theme ‘Human Rights: Our Everyday Essentials’.
• Nobel Prize Day 2025: Marked on December 10 to commemorate the death anniversary of Alfred Nobel and honor global laureates.
• International Mountain Day: Celebrated on December 11 under the theme ‘Glaciers matter for water, food and livelihoods’.
• Universal Health Coverage Day: Observed on December 12 to advocate for equitable and affordable healthcare access for all.
• National Energy Conservation Day: Celebrated on December 14 to encourage energy efficiency and resource conservation across sectors.
• Kisan Diwas (National Farmers Day): Observed across India on December 23 to mark former PM Chaudhary Charan Singh’s birth anniversary.
• National Consumer Rights Day: Marked on December 24 focusing on speedy grievance redressal and consumer empowerment through digital justice.
• Good Governance Day: Observed on December 25 to honor former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary and promote citizen-centric governance.