National Affairs

Italy’s Deputy PM Antonio Tajani Visits India to Strengthen Strategic Ties

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, visited India from December 10–12, 2025. This marked his second official visit to India in 2025, following a prior visit in April.

• High-Level Engagements: Tajani met with PM Narendra Modi to deepen trade, security, and connectivity ties, extending an invitation for PM Modi to visit Italy in 2026. He also met with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval to discuss maritime security.
• Italy-India Business Forum: Co-chaired by Tajani and Union Minister Piyush Goyal in Mumbai on December 11, 2025.
• 22nd JCEC Session: On December 12, Minister Goyal and Tajani signed the Agreed Minutes of the 22nd India-Italy Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC), outlining a structured roadmap for investment targets and regular institutional dialogue.

About Italy:

• Prime Minister: Giorgia Meloni
• Capital: Rome
• Currency: Euro (EUR)

PM Modi Chairs Union Cabinet Approvals (December 12, 2025)

The Union Cabinet approved several major proposals concerning infrastructure, agriculture, and national data collection:

• Census of India 2027 Framework: Approved ₹11,718.24 crore for India's first fully digital census. Data collection will feature dedicated Android and iOS mobile applications across two distinct phases:
  • Phase 1 (Houselisting & Housing Census): April to September 2026
  • Phase 2 (Population Enumeration): February 2027
• MSP for Copra (2026 Season): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) hiked the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for milling copra to ₹12,027 per quintal (up by ₹445) and ball copra to ₹12,500 per quintal (up by ₹400). NAFED and NCCF remain the central nodal procurement agencies.
• ‘CoalSETU Window’ for Industrial Use & Export: The CCEA approved the Seamless, Efficient & Transparent Utilisation (CoalSETU) facility. This establishes a new window under the Non-Regulated Sector Linkage Auction Policy (2016) allowing long-term coal linkage auctions for domestic industrial consumers and exports. Note: Coking coal and traders are exempted from this window.

Mumbai Hosts 3rd Global IALA Council Session

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal (MoPSW) virtually inaugurated the 3rd Session of the Council of the International Organisation for Marine Aids to Navigation (IALA) in Mumbai, Maharashtra (December 8–12, 2025).

• Organizers: Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL).
• Digital Ticketing Portal: Launched for lighthouse tourism, improving visitor access across 75 lighthouse destinations.
• Solar Power Milestone: Announced that all 193 Indian lighthouses are now 100% solar-powered, cutting operational costs by 40%.
• Global Heritage Showcase: Highlighted the upcoming National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal, Gujarat—the world’s first Lighthouse Museum tracking 5,000 years of history.

About IALA:

Established in 1957 as an NGO, it officially transitioned into an Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO) in August 2024.

• Secretary-General: Francis Zachariae (Denmark)
• Headquarters: St Germain en Laye, France

Ministry of Textiles Launches Nationwide Chaupal Program

The Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) launched the nationwide rollout of the Chaupal Program in New Delhi during National Handicrafts Week (December 8–14, 2025).

• Objective: Establish permanent, district-level hubs across 100 handicraft aspirational districts to scale artisan registration, entrepreneurship, and digital onboarding.
• Core Mantra: Guided by Reform, Perform, Transform, and Inform under the National Handicrafts Development Programme (NHDP).
• Chaupal Kits: Distributed by Textile Secretary Neelam Shami Rao, containing key equipment and audio-visual assets for capacity building.

Vice President Releases Commemorative Stamp for Emperor Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II

Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan unveiled a commemorative postage stamp honoring the 7th–9th century ruler Emperor Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II (Suvaran Maran) at the VP Enclave in New Delhi.

• Historical Profile: The Emperor belonged to the Mutharaiyar dynasty, which governed central Tamil Nadu (including Thanjavur, Tiruchirapalli, and Pudukottai).
• Significance: Celebrates his historical contributions to military administrative stability and cultural patronage in ancient Tamil Nadu.

India Post Partners with BSE to Deepen Mutual Fund Penetration

The Department of Posts (DoP) signed a 3-year MoU with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) to extend Mutual Fund (MF) access across rural and semi-urban India.

• Mechanism: Postal networks will leverage the BSE StAR MF platform.
• Postal Staff Activation: Selected postal workers will clear the NISM MF Distributor certification to serve as onboarding agents, receiving an unique 10-digit alphanumeric Employee Unique Identification Number (EUIN) for transactional tracking.

International Affairs

7th UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) Concludes in Kenya

The 7th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) took place at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, from December 8–12, 2025.

• Theme: "Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet"
• Leadership: Chaired by Dr. Abdullah bin Ali Al-Amri (Oman). Jamaica’s Matthew Samuda was elected as the incoming President for UNEA-8 (scheduled for December 2027).
• Indian Representation: MoS Kirti Vardhan Singh (MoEFCC) represented India.
• Champions of the Earth 2025: Supriya Sahu (Additional Chief Secretary, Govt of Tamil Nadu) was conferred with the prestigious UNEP award.
• Output: Adopted 11 resolutions, 3 decisions, and a joint Ministerial Declaration focused on climate resilience.

Banking & Finance

ADB Approves USD 448 Million Cumulative Loans for India

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) greenlit three standalone development packages for urban infrastructure, public healthcare, and gender-inclusive financial access:

About ADB:

• President: Masato Kanda (Japan)
• Headquarters: Manila, Philippines
• Established: 1966 (69 Member Nations)

Awards & Recognitions

Siliserh Lake and Kopra Jalashay Named New Ramsar Sites

India added two new wetlands to the Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance, taking the country's total count of Ramsar sites to 96.

• Siliserh Lake (95th Site - Rajasthan): A human-made freshwater lake constructed in 1845 by Maharaja Vinay Singh. Located in Alwar within the buffer zone of the Sariska Tiger Reserve, it expands Rajasthan's total Ramsar count to five.
• Kopra Jalashay (96th Site - Chhattisgarh): Marking Chhattisgarh’s first-ever Ramsar site, this reservoir wetland in the upper catchment of the Mahanadi River near Bilaspur serves as an essential wintering stop-over for migratory birds.

Appointments & Resignations

Andrej Babis Sworn In as Czech Republic Prime Minister

Billionaire businessman and leader of the populist ANO party, Andrej Babis, was sworn in as Prime Minister of the Czech Republic by President Petr Pavel at Prague Castle.

• Electoral Coalition: Babis's ANO movement formed a 108-seat majority coalition inside the 200-seat Lower House alongside the SPD and the Motorists for Themselves party.
• Predecessor: He succeeds Petr Fiala (PM from 2021–2025), marking Babis's return to the role after his initial 2017–2021 tenure.

Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty Elected First Woman President of PCI

Senior journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty was elected as the first woman President of the Press Club of India (PCI) during the national elections held in New Delhi.

• Career Profile: Pisharoty has worked with UNI, The Hindu, and is currently National Affairs Editor at The Wire. She was the first woman from Northeast India to join UNI's Delhi headquarters.
• Accolades: Recipient of the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2017).

Sports

India Claims Historic First Squash World Cup Title

The Indian mixed-team made history by winning its first-ever Squash World Cup title, defeating top seeds Hong Kong 3–0 in the final held at the Express Avenue Mall in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (December 9–14, 2025).

• The Victory Clean-Sweep: Joshna Chinappa defeated Ka Yi Lee (3–1), Abhay Singh defeated Alex Lau (3–0), and Anahat Singh swept past Tomato Ho (3–0) to claim gold.
• Historical Milestone: India became the first Asian nation to secure the trophy, remaining entirely undefeated across the group and knockout stages. Egypt and Japan shared the bronze medal.

Obituary

Veteran Lawmaker Shamanur Shivashankarappa Passes Away at 94

Senior Congress leader and India’s oldest serving Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), Shamanur Shivashankarappa, passed away in Bengaluru.

• Legislative Run: A six-time MLA representing Davanagere South, he served in the Legislative Assembly between 1994 and 2023. He also served as an MP in the Lok Sabha from 1998 to 1999.
• Key Portfolios: Formerly served as Karnataka's Minister for Horticulture and Agricultural Marketing (2013–2016) and held the position of permanent treasurer for the KPCC. He was also President of the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha since 2012.

Books & Authors

Shikhar Dhawan Launches Autobiography 'The One'

Former Indian opening batsman Shikhar Dhawan announced the release of his official autobiography, titled "The One: Cricket, My Life and More", published via HarperCollins India. The book highlights his international career milestones, including finishing as the highest run-scorer in the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, along with reflections on his personal life.

Important Days

National Energy Conservation Day – December 14

National Energy Conservation Day is observed annually across India to promote energy-saving habits and institutional efficiencies under the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).

• History: First instituted on December 14, 1991, alongside the launch of the National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA).
• 2025 Ceremony: President Droupadi Murmu presided as Chief Guest at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, handing out the 35th NECA awards. A brand-new category was added this year to incentivize social media influencers and digital content creators who raise ecological awareness.

Vijay Diwas (54th Observance) – December 16

Vijay Diwas marks the decisive military victory of the Indian Armed Forces alongside the Mukti Bahini over Pakistan during the 12-day war of 1971, leading to the creation of Bangladesh.

• Historic Surrender: Commemorates the formal signing of the Instrument of Surrender on December 16, 1971, in Dhaka.
• 2025 Events: Headquartered Eastern Command hosted a specialized military tattoo at the Mangal Pandey Training Area in Kolkata, West Bengal, while the Indian Army hosted commemorative events at the Albert Ekka War Memorial in Agartala.

State News

Maharashtra Rolls Out 'MahaCrimeOS AI' Platform

Maharashtra has become the first Indian state to develop and launch a dedicated cybercrime investigation artificial intelligence network, called MahaCrimeOS AI, unveiled during the Microsoft AI Tour in Mumbai.

• Development Partners: Built by the Maharashtra Government's Special Purpose Vehicle MARVEL, in tandem with cybersecurity firm CyberEye and the Microsoft India Development Center.
• Tech Infrastructure: Leverages Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service and Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) models to index multilingual data and automate case workflows.
• Deployment: The platform is entering its pilot rollout phase across 23 police stations in Nagpur, with plans to expand across all 1,100 police hubs state-wide.