Economy and Business:
India's foreign exchange reserves have shown a positive trend, increasing by nearly $1.03 billion to reach $687.26 billion for the week ending December 5, with gold reserves also experiencing a notable jump. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) commitments surged significantly in the first half of FY 2025-26, reflecting growing investor confidence. Despite this, the Indian Rupee has fallen to a historic low against the US dollar, crossing the 90 mark. This depreciation poses challenges for inflation, exports, and corporate margins in the short term, though a weaker rupee could potentially boost long-term growth by encouraging domestic production and enhancing export competitiveness. Retail inflation for November 2025 surged to 0.71%, primarily due to increased prices in vegetables, eggs, meat, spices, fuel, and light. Meanwhile, Indian stock markets, represented by the Sensex and Nifty, rallied for the second consecutive session, driven by positive global cues following a US Federal Reserve rate cut. In a significant economic reform, the Cabinet approved a new policy, "CoalSETU," for the auction of coal linkages, aiming to allocate these for industrial use and export without end-use restrictions. Furthermore, India has opened its nuclear energy and insurance sectors to full foreign investment, a move designed to attract billions in capital and technology by ending the state monopoly in atomic energy and removing the 74% foreign ownership cap in insurance. However, the "World Inequality Report 2026" highlighted a concerning trend, indicating that India's economic growth has not adequately benefited the bottom 50% of the population, with the top 10% controlling nearly 58% of the national income. [cite: 10 from previous turn]
Politics and International Relations:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to undertake a four-day visit to Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman from December 15-18, aiming to bolster bilateral ties, particularly in trade and defense. India expresses optimism about finalizing an ambitious trade deal with Oman during this visit. India and Russia have reaffirmed their "Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership" during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit on December 4-5, 2025. Discussions during the visit covered various aspects of cooperation, including energy, arms, and trade. Separately, India and China held fresh consultations in Beijing, reporting "positive progress" in their bilateral relations following an August meeting between PM Modi and President Xi. India emphasized the importance of resolving outstanding issues related to export control. [cite: 37 from previous turn] In a move to enhance bilateral ties and address a shortage of technicians, India has eased bureaucratic scrutiny and shortened visa approval times for Chinese professionals. Conversely, a US congressional hearing underscored an "absence of political trust" between India and the United States, citing ongoing disputes over trade tariffs and visa restrictions. Domestically, the Sikkim Legislative Assembly unanimously approved a proposal to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to twelve communities. The nation mourned the passing of former Lok Sabha speaker and senior Congress leader Shivraj Patil, who died at the age of 90.
Science & Technology:
India is emerging as a significant global player in Machine Learning (ML)-enabled scientific research, ranking third worldwide for such research published in prominent Nature journals. [cite: 4 from previous turn] Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh highlighted the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare and emphasized the crucial role of collaboration between the government and the private sector in advancing biotechnology and gene therapy. Bengaluru is currently hosting the inaugural Supercomputing India 2025 (SCI 2025) conference, which runs from December 9-13, with a focus on High-Performance Computing (HPC), AI, and Quantum Computing. India also announced major deep-tech breakthroughs at ESTIC 2025, including the development of QSIP (India's quantum security chip), 25-qubit QPU (India's first quantum computing chip), and CAR-T Cell Therapy (India's first indigenous cancer cell therapy).
Social Welfare:
The "EPS 95 Pension Reform 2025" has brought considerable relief to numerous retirees by raising the minimum monthly pension to ā¹3,000. [cite: 16 from previous turn] In Tamil Nadu, the second phase of a scheme providing monthly financial assistance to women has commenced. [cite: 34 from previous turn] A free disability assistance camp was inaugurated in Dehradun, offering assistive devices, health check-ups, and skill development programs to beneficiaries. On December 12th, Anganwadi workers undertook a statewide strike, which had the potential to disrupt vital child care and nutrition programs. [cite: 32 from previous turn] New Labour Codes have been implemented to significantly enhance safety for workers in hazardous sectors, strengthening social security provisions and improving welfare measures.
Non-Cricket Sports:
Football superstar Lionel Messi has commenced his highly anticipated three-day "GOAT India Tour 2025," which includes stops in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and New Delhi, featuring fan interactions, exhibitions, and celebrity matches. Indian shooters have successfully secured a quota spot for the 2028 Olympics during a recent home event. [cite: 25 from previous turn] In hockey, India's Junior team achieved a bronze medal at the FIH Men's Junior Hockey World Cup. Olympian Mirabai Chanu marked her comeback by clinching a silver medal at the Asian Weightlifting Cup. [cite: 30 from previous turn] Additionally, Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa shared his perspective on the new Chess World Championship Tour, viewing it as a fresh opportunity for players.