1. National Science & High-Tech Milestones

11th India International Science Festival (IISF 2025) Concludes in Haryana

The 11th edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF 2025) was held from December 6 to 9, 2025, at the Dusshera Ground in Panchkula, Haryana. Organized by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and coordinated by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), Pune, the event was officially inaugurated by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh.

• Theme: Focused on leveraging indigenous capabilities under the theme “Vigyan Se Samruddhi: for Aatmanirbhar Bharat” (Science for Prosperity: for Self-Reliant India).
• Partner Framework: Executed in collaboration with major national scientific bodies including DST, DBT, CSIR, DAE, Department of Space, and Vijnana Bharati (VIBHA).
• Deep-Sea Submersible Showcase: A major highlight of the festival was the exhibition of Matsya 6000, India’s first human-occupied deep-sea submersible.
  • Developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai, under the Samudrayaan Mission (part of the broader Deep Ocean Mission).
  • Designed to carry 3 crew members to an operational depth of 6,000 meters to study deep-ocean resources.

India’s First Indigenous Hydrogen Fuel-Cell Catamaran Flagged Off in Varanasi

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW), flagged off Pilot-01, India’s first indigenously designed and constructed Hydrogen-powered Fuel Cell Vessel (FCV). The ceremony took place at Namo Ghat in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, along the Ganga River (National Waterway-1).

• Project Genesis: Built by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) following a November 2022 agreement with the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
• Technical Specifications: The 24-meter-long catamaran is powered by a Low-Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane (LT-PEM) fuel cell system paired with Lithium-ion Phosphate batteries. The mechanism converts stored hydrogen into clean electricity, releasing only pure water ($H_2O$) as a byproduct.
• Capacity & Performance: Fully air-conditioned with a 50-passenger capacity, it can operate continuously for 8 hours at speeds ranging from 7 to 9 nautical miles per hour.
• Vision Alignment: Developed under MoPSW’s ‘Harit Nauka’ initiative, aligning with Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 to promote zero-emission inland water transport.

Ministry of Education Organizes ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav 2025’

To commemorate the birth anniversary of the legendary Tamil poet Mahakavi Subramania Bharati, the Ministry of Education (MoE) hosted the Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav 2025 at the National Bal Bhawan in New Delhi on December 11, 2025.

• Theme: Celebrated under the core sentiment of “Many Languages, One Emotion.”
• Focus on Tribal Heritage: Partnering with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA), the event highlighted tribal oral traditions and showcased dictionaries and research literature published by the Tribal Research Institutes (TRIs) of Odisha, Jharkhand, and Gujarat.
• Adi Vaani AI Launch: The central highlight was the live rollout of Adi Vaani, India's first AI-powered tribal language translation platform. Developed by IIT Delhi under MoTA, the application facilitates real-time text and speech translation between English/Hindi and indigenous tribal languages.
  • Initial Phase Support: Extends to Santali and Kui (Odisha), Bhili (Madhya Pradesh), Mundari (Jharkhand), Gondi (Chhattisgarh), and Garo (Meghalaya).

MoMSME and Amazon Partner to Digitally Empower PM Vishwakarma Artisans

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MoMSME) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Amazon Seller Services Private Limited at Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi. The partnership aims to provide enhanced digital market access to traditional craftsmen registered under the PM Vishwakarma Scheme.

• Strategic Execution: Amazon will onboard verified artisans onto its marketplace under its dedicated 'Karigar' initiative, expanding the domestic and global visibility of handmade Indian products.
• Coverage: The initiative blankets artisans working across 18 traditional trades, including carpentry, pottery, tailoring, locksmithing, metalsmithing, and toy making.
• Scheme Context: Launched on September 17, 2023, the PM Vishwakarma Scheme provides end-to-end institutional support—encompassing skill upgradation, modern toolkits, collateral-free credit, and digital transaction incentives—to preserve the traditional guru-shishya craft ecosystem.

2. International Rankings & Bilateral Agreements

Arton Capital Passport Index 2025: UAE Retains Top Spot; India Ranks 67th

Global financial advisory firm Arton Capital released its Passport Index for 2025, evaluating global passport strength based on cross-border mobility.

• Global Leaders: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) secured the 1st position for the 7th consecutive year, posting a Mobility Score (MS) of 179 (providing visa-free access to 126 destinations and visa-on-arrival at 45). Singapore and Spain shared the 2nd spot with an MS of 175.
• India’s Position: India ranked 67th globally with a Mobility Score of 74, enabling Indian passport holders visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to countries covering roughly 37% of the globe.
• Index Demographics: European nations dominated the top 20 rankings. Conversely, Afghanistan (94th) registered the lowest mobility score (MS 38), followed by Syria (93rd), Iraq (92nd), and Pakistan paired with Somalia at 91st.

India and Liberia Sign MoU on Pharmaceutical Quality Standards

The Government of India and the Republic of Liberia signed a bilateral MoU in Monrovia to enhance cooperation in pharmacopoeia and medical regulatory frameworks. The agreement was signed by Manoj Bihari Verma (India's Ambassador to Liberia) and Dr. Louise M. Kpoto (Liberia's Minister of Health).

• Adoption of Indian Standards: Under this framework, Liberia will officially adopt and reference the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP) to benchmark the quality, purity, and strength of medicines manufactured or sold within its jurisdiction.
• Testing Alignment: Both nations will harmonize quality-control testing procedures to ensure safety, streamlining pharmaceutical trade and regulatory approvals.

World Inequality Report 2026 Details Deep Income Disparities

The World Inequality Lab (WIL) published the 3rd edition of the World Inequality Report (WIR 2026), outlining global and domestic economic polarization.

• India-Specific Findings:
  • The top 10% of the Indian population captures 58% of the total national income, while the bottom 50% accounts for a mere 15%.
  • In terms of wealth distribution, the top 10% controls 65% of national wealth, with the top 1% alone holding 40%.
  • Gender Gap: Women in India earn just 18% of total labor income, tracking significantly below the global female labor income average of 34%.
• Global Trends: The richest 10% globally earn more than the bottom 90% combined and command 75% of global wealth.
• Climate Inequality: The poorest half of the world's population is responsible for only 10% of consumption-based emissions, whereas the wealthiest 10% generate 47% of consumption emissions and 77% of private capital-based emissions.

3. Banking, Finance & Corporate Investments

RBI Relaxes Transaction Account Framework; Effective April 2026

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) issued its final regulatory guidelines regarding the ‘Maintenance of Cash Credit Accounts, Current Accounts and Overdraft Accounts by Banks’. The new rules apply to seven categories of Regulated Entities (REs), including Commercial, Small Finance, Payments, Regional Rural, and Co-operative banks, taking effect from April 1, 2026.

• Cash Credit (CC) Accounts: Acknowledging that CC facilities serve as working-capital lines tied strictly to current assets, the RBI removed previous operational restrictions, allowing banks to open CC accounts based on customer needs.
• Current Accounts (CA) & Overdrafts (OD):
  • Exposure below ₹10 Crore: Banks can open and maintain CA/OD lines without system-wide restrictions.
  • Exposure of ₹10 Crore and above: A bank can maintain CA/OD accounts for a client only if that bank holds a minimum 10% share of the banking system's aggregate exposure (or fund-based exposure) to that specific borrower.
• Remittance Rules: The mandate requiring banks to sweep funds from collection accounts into designated transaction accounts within two working days remains strictly unchanged.

Banking Sector Achieves 20-Year NPA Low; Profits Break Records

According to the latest banking data released by the RBI, India's scheduled commercial banking system has hit historic milestones in asset recovery and profitability.

• NPA Reductions: Gross Non-Performing Assets (GNPAs) dropped to a 20-year low of 2.31% by March 2025, down from a peak of 11.46% in 2018. Similarly, Net NPAs (NNPAs) fell to 0.52% (down from 6.1% in 2018), supported by robust provisional coverage buffers.
• Public Sector Banks (PSBs) Lead: GNPAs of PSBs systematically declined from 9.11% in March 2021 to 2.58% by March 2025. Aggregate net profits for PSBs surged from ₹1.05 lakh crore in FY23 to ₹1.78 lakh crore in FY25.
• Credit & Deposit Surge: Over a 10-year horizon, domestic banking deposits tripled from ₹88.35 lakh crore (2015) to ₹231.90 lakh crore (2025), while credit deployment scaled from ₹66.91 lakh crore to ₹181.34 lakh crore. Total commercial bank profits peaked at an all-time high of ₹4.01 lakh crore in FY25.

World Bank Approves $600 Million for Air Quality Projects in UP & Haryana

The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved two distinct multi-sectoral financing packages totaling $600 million under the Regional Air Quality Management Program (RAQMP) to curb airshed pollution across the Indo-Gangetic Plains.

• Uttar Pradesh Clean Air Management Program (UPCAMP): Backed by $299.66 million in World Bank loans (10-year maturity, 2-year grace period). The initiative targets transboundary emissions and will introduce 15,000 electric three-wheelers and 500 electric buses across the high-pollution corridors of Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, and Gorakhpur.
• Haryana Clean Air Project for Sustainable Development (HCAPSD): Total project allocation stands at ₹3,646 crore, comprising a $300 million World Bank loan (23.5-year maturity, 6-year grace period), state funding of ₹1,065 crore, and a ₹83 crore grant. The deployment will be managed by a Special Purpose Vehicle named ARJUN (chaired by Rajesh Khullar). It includes adding 500 electric buses across Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, and Jhajjar alongside setting up 200 EV charging stations.

OPTCL Secures ₹1,685 Crore from NABARD for Power Infrastructure

The Odisha Power Transmission Corporation Limited (OPTCL) signed a long-term loan pact valued at ₹1,685.27 crore with the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). This is NABARD's maiden project financing venture geared toward a state PSU in Odisha.

• Loan Specifications: Offered at a fixed 7.75% annual interest rate with a 15-year tenure (inclusive of a 3-year moratorium).
• Capital Infrastructure Allocation: ₹900 crore is earmarked for fresh greenfield transmission assets, including the construction of a 400/200 KV Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) at Erasama (Jagatsinghpur), digital substations at Agalpur-Rampur and Athamallik, and a GIS facility at Madanpur-Rampur.
• Power Evacuation: Funds will also accelerate the construction of the 400 KV Talcher–Meramandali transmission line to pull power from NTPC’s Talcher Thermal Power Station Stage-III ($2 \times 660 \text{ MW}$). The remaining loan balance will replace old high-cost debt to reduce consumer power tariffs.

4. Awards, Sports & Obituaries

TIME Magazine Names 'Architects of AI' 2025 Person of the Year

TIME Magazine designated the “Architects of Artificial Intelligence” as its 2025 Person of the Year, honoring the collective group of tech leaders and engineers who transitioned generative AI from an experimental field into mainstream global infrastructure.

• Prominent Leaders Featured on the Cover: The publication showcased prominent corporate and scientific figures in a style reminiscent of the iconic "Lunch Atop a Skyscraper" photograph. Honorees included:
  • Jensen Huang (CEO, Nvidia)
  • Sam Altman (CEO, OpenAI)
  • Elon Musk (Founder, xAI / CEO, Tesla)
  • Mark Zuckerberg (CEO, Meta)
  • Lisa Su (CEO, AMD)
  • Demis Hassabis (CEO, Google DeepMind)
  • Dario Amodei (CEO, Anthropic)
  • Fei-Fei Li (AI Pioneer & Founder, World Labs)

India to Host Inaugural Commonwealth Kho Kho Championship in 2026

Commonwealth Sport has officially greenlit India to host the first-ever Commonwealth Kho Kho Championship, scheduled to run from March 9 to 14, 2026.

• Tournament Scale: The event is projected to feature 24 Commonwealth nations, hosting 16 competitive squads each within the men's and women's divisions.
• Sports Ecosystem Expansion: This serves as India's next major international sports hosting milestone following the conclusion of the Kho Kho World Cup in New Delhi (January 2025) and the formal designation of Ahmedabad as the host city for the 2030 Commonwealth Games (CWG).

Former Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil Passes Away at 90

Senior Indian National Congress (INC) leader and former Union Minister Shivraj Vishwanath Patil Chakurkar passed away in Latur, Maharashtra, at the age of 90. Born in 1935 in the erstwhile Hyderabad State, Patil was highly regarded for his deep constitutional expertise.

• Legislative Legacy: He served as a seven-term Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Latur Lok Sabha constituency from 1980 to 2004. He distinguished himself as the 10th Speaker of the Lok Sabha from 1991 to 1996.
• Executive Profile: Held the pivotal portfolio of Union Home Minister from 2004 to 2008. Over his extensive career, he also managed vital portfolios as Minister of State across Defence, Science & Technology, Atomic Energy, and Civil Aviation, later serving as the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh from 2010 to 2015.

5. Important Global Days & State Portals

International Day of Neutrality (December 12)

The United Nations observes the International Day of Neutrality annually on December 12 to advocate for the preservation of non-alignment, peaceful diplomacy, and national sovereignty during global geopolitical rifts.

• Historical Genesis: The day was established via UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/71/275 on February 2, 2017. The resolution was originally proposed by Turkmenistan, which has held formally recognized, permanent neutral state status from the UN since December 12, 1995.

International Universal Health Coverage Day (December 12)

Celebrated globally on December 12 under institutional mandates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN, UHC Day builds public awareness around establishing resilient, affordable, and equal healthcare frameworks globally.

• 2025 Theme: “Unaffordable health costs? We’re sick of it!”
• Key Global Action: Coinciding with the day, the WHO Academy launched 'Learning on TAP' in Lyon, France—an open-access blended educational platform aimed at training frontline primary healthcare workers in sensory care and assistive medical technologies.

Uttarakhand Launches 'Meri Yojana' Portal for Scheme Accessibility

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami officially launched the ‘Meri Yojana’ Portal during an event in Dehradun. The digital platform serves as an absolute, single-window repository mapping out all social welfare, educational, and financial assistance schemes sponsored by both the Central and State Governments.

• Core Utility: The portal is designed to eliminate intermediary dependency by hosting an searchable database complete with detailed eligibility filters, step-by-step application guidelines, and absolute documentation checklists.
• Knowledge Manuals: Alongside the portal, the CM released three specialized hardcopy editions of the Meri Yojana Handbook categorized into General, State Government, and Central Government editions.