Economy and Finance:
India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman affirmed India's position as the fastest-growing major economy, responding to criticisms and highlighting recent sovereign credit rating upgrades from Morningstar DBRS, S&P, and R&I. She noted that India's economy grew at 8.2% in the September quarter and emphasized the transition from "external vulnerability to external resilience" over the last decade. Crisil has further raised India's GDP growth forecast for the current fiscal (FY26) to 7.0%, attributing it to robust growth in the first half of the year. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) also cut the repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25% following its latest monetary policy review.
In trade, India's trade deficit dramatically plummeted by over 61% in November 2025, reaching $6.6 billion, driven by a strong rebound in merchandise exports (up 19.37% to a six-month high of USD 38.13 billion) and a decrease in imports. However, the Indian Rupee slumped to a new all-time low of 90.74 against the U.S. dollar, reflecting uncertainties over an India-U.S. trade deal and persistent foreign fund outflows.
Politics and Governance:
The Lok Sabha approved the Supplementary Demands for Grants for the fiscal year 2025-26, sanctioning a gross additional expenditure of ₹1.32 lakh crore, including significant allocations for fertilizer subsidies. The government introduced three crucial bills in the Lok Sabha: the Repealing and Amending Bill, 2025, the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, and the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill, 2025. The SHANTI Bill aims to modernize nuclear governance and open up the nuclear sector to private participation, with a goal to boost nuclear capacity to 100 gigawatts by 2047.
A significant development was the postponement of the controversial "Viksit Bharat—Guarantee For Rozgar And Ajeevika Mission (Gramin)" Bill, 2025, which aimed to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). This decision came amidst strong opposition, with the Congress party questioning the intent behind removing Mahatma Gandhi's name from the scheme. In appointments, Raj Kumar Goyal was sworn in as the new Chief Information Commissioner. Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty made history by being elected as the first woman president of the Press Club of India.
International Relations:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi commenced a three-nation diplomatic tour, visiting Jordan, Ethiopia, and Oman. In Jordan, PM Modi held discussions with King Abdullah II, emphasizing deepening bilateral ties across trade, digital technology, infrastructure, and counter-terrorism, marking 75 years of diplomatic relations. Concurrently, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar engaged in high-level diplomatic meetings in the UAE, co-chairing the 16th India-UAE Joint Commission meeting and the Fifth Session of the Strategic Dialogue. He is also scheduled to visit Israel for bilateral consultations. Meanwhile, an Indian-American community leader advocated for a reversal of recent tariff measures to strengthen India-US relations. Technology is increasingly shaping India-Russia ties, with significant cooperation in space and defense, and bilateral trade exceeding sixty-five billion dollars.
Science & Technology:
India achieved a significant milestone in semiconductor self-reliance with the launch of DHRUV64, the country's first indigenous 1.0 GHz, 64-bit dual-core microprocessor, developed by C-DAC. Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia lauded C-DOT for winning the IEEE SA Corporate Award 2025, recognizing contributions to technology. ISRO rescheduled the launch of the BlueBird-6 broadband satellite to December 21, 2025, aiming to enhance global internet access. Additionally, a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket is set to launch 27 Amazon Leo satellites on December 16, contributing to the expansion of global satellite internet networks. NASA reported that later-day stubble burning in northern India is complicating air quality monitoring efforts.
Social Welfare & Development:
The Ramakrishna Mission announced that it spent ₹1671 crore on humanitarian activities during the financial year 2024-25, benefiting over 1.42 crore people. The Government of India launched a National Cyber Safety Awareness Campaign for students to promote digital safety and responsible online behavior. In Kerala, the distribution of increased welfare pensions began on December 15, providing a Christmas and New Year gift to beneficiaries. Maharashtra's Chief Minister launched 'Project Mahadeva', a state-level sports development program aimed at encouraging sports activities and women's participation.
Sports:
India made history by winning the Squash World Cup 2025, becoming the first Asian country to clinch the title. Football legend Lionel Messi is expected to arrive in New Delhi for the final leg of his "GOAT India Tour," generating considerable excitement. The Jagtar Singh Memorial U-21 Hockey Tournament is set to begin in Ludhiana. In shooting, Manu Bhaker and Simranpreet Kaur Brar secured gold medals at the 68th National Shooting Championships. The International Chess Federation (FIDE) reinstated Russian and Belarusian teams in official chess events.