Taiwan reunification declared "unstoppable," paired with defence modernisation and a USD170bn Brahmaputra hydropower project.
Xi Jinping declared Taiwan reunification "unstoppable," linked to intensified military drills and defence modernisation, and announced commencement of a USD 170 billion hydropower project on the lower Yarlung Zangbo (Brahmaputra) in Tibet, noting downstream flooding concerns; he also highlighted an electromagnetic catapult aircraft carrier, advances in AI and robotics, and a projected national GDP exceeding USD 20 trillion.

Vodafone Idea granted a freeze and five year moratorium on AGR dues, with reassessment and a binding repayment plan.
The government froze Vodafone Idea's outstanding AGR liability at Rs 87,695 crore, imposed a five year moratorium delaying repayment until 2031 32 with clearance by 2040 41, and directed reassessment of the capped charge by the telecom department under the 2020 deduction verification guidelines and audit reports; a government appointed committee will issue a binding decision. AGR amounts for FY 2017 18 and FY 2018 19 remain payable over 2025 26 to 2030 31 as finalised earlier.

Social harmony urged: open public facilities to all Hindus, revive family bonds and promote environmental responsibility.
Urges removal of caste, wealth, language and regional divisions and insists on equal access to local public and religious facilities for all Hindus, achieved through dialogue and nonviolence. Advocates weekly family practices-shared meals, prayers and discussions-to prevent loneliness and social harms, promotes household environmental conservation and swadeshi consumption, and calls for regular observance of constitutional duties, civic discipline and traditional social values.

Parliamentary time: less than 30% used for legislative business; 31 bills passed and few committee referrals.
Both Houses spent less than 30 per cent of time on legislative business, with Question Hour shortened. In 2025 Parliament passed 31 bills-including waqf regulation amendments, income tax simplification, prohibition of online money games, opening of nuclear energy and insurance sectors, and modification of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to 125 days with specified Centre-state funding. Across the 18th Lok Sabha term 42 bills were introduced, 11 referred to committees (26 per cent) and only one referred to a department-related standing committee; certain grouped bills are under joint committee scrutiny.

Stock markets rallied nearly 1% on final 2025 trading day amid DII buying and gains in energy and metals.
Equity benchmarks rose nearly 1% on the final 2025 trading day as sustained Domestic Institutional Investor buying and gains in energy, metal, PSU bank and consumer durable stocks lifted the Sensex and Nifty; volatility eased and Brent crude softened. The Sensex closed at 85,220.60 (up 545.52 points) and the Nifty at 26,129.60 (up 190.75 points). Yearly performance showed Sensex up ~9% and Nifty up ~10.5%, market capitalisation expanded, FIIs were net sellers while DIIs were net buyers, and sectoral indices displayed mixed results.

Conscious Management Institute opens offering diplomas in management, logistics and AI; graduate and 12th pass eligibility.
Conscious Management Institute in Puducherry offers Post Graduate and Professional Diplomas in Conscious Management & Leadership, Logistics & Supply Chain Management, and Data Science & Artificial Intelligence, with PG Diplomas for graduates and Professional Diplomas for 12th pass candidates; the Logistics programme includes special certifications in Air and Sea Cargo Operations and curricula focus on practical, job oriented learning, AI innovation, and conscious leadership to produce industry ready professionals.

Nykaa Beauty trends 2025: barrier-first skincare, viral products, and instant delivery reshaped Indian beauty routines.
Nykaa's 2025 review finds Indian beauty consumption driven by trend-led experimentation that rewards performance: barrier-first skincare (ceramides, peptides), high volumes in cleansers, moisturisers and serums, K beauty becoming routine, multitasking makeup and wardrobe-style fragrance buying. Rapid fulfilment (Nykaa Now), high-review counts, and ingredient transparency underpinned repeat purchases and accelerated adoption, with commercial metrics-unit sales, fastest-growing searches, and large single orders-confirming these structural shifts.

Gig workers strike met with enhanced platform incentives and limited disruption to e commerce and food delivery services.
Unions organized a nationwide strike alleging reduced payouts, unsafe delivery pressure, and lack of statutory recognition, demanding pay rollbacks, safety assurances, limits on hours, and classification reforms. Platforms responded by offering enhanced, time-limited incentives, waiving certain penalties, and advertising peak hour earnings guarantees to maintain service continuity, framing these as standard festive-period protocols rather than negotiated changes addressing the unions' structural demands.

Illegal kidney racket exposes pan-India transplant network, cross-border removals, donor exploitation and charges under transplantation law.
Investigation uncovered a pan-India organ-trafficking network with international links to Cambodia, involving agents, donors, doctors and a private Trichy hospital. Authorities invoked offences under the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act; evidence includes accused statements and technical data. Reported fees ranged Rs 50-80 lakh per transplant while donors received Rs 5-8 lakh, indicating exploitation. Arrests of moneylenders and an agent were made, teams were dispatched to detain identified doctors, and one practitioner was granted interim bail pending further proceedings.

Khaleda Zia funeral draws regional dignitaries; diplomatic outreach and regional security stories dominate foreign headlines.
A mass state funeral for former prime minister Khaleda Zia drew large public attendance and South Asian dignitaries; India's External Affairs Minister handed a letter from the Indian prime minister to BNP leader Tarique Rahman at the funeral, reflecting diplomatic outreach amid tight security. The bulletin also records Quad envoys meeting in Beijing, Pakistan's deputy prime minister's planned strategic dialogue visit to China, regional military escalation between India and Pakistan in 2025, shifts toward diversified India-Russia economic ties, renewed India-Sri Lanka engagement, and UNFPA commentary on Pakistan's population as a development priority.

Appointment of Maharashtra Police DGP places a counterterrorism veteran on a two-year state policing leadership role.
Appointment of Sadanand Vasant Date as Director General of Maharashtra Police establishes a senior administrative leadership change with a fixed tenure of two years. The appointment follows his premature repatriation from central deputation as head of the National Investigation Agency and places him in charge of statewide law-and-order administration during a local election period.

Centre's fiscal deficit at 62.3% of the budget estimate through November, with receipts and expenditure diverging.
The Centre's fiscal deficit stood at Rs 9.76 lakh crore (62.3% of the 2025-26 annual budget target of Rs 15.69 lakh crore), up from 52.5% year on year; receipts were Rs 19.49 lakh crore (55.7% of BE) and total expenditure Rs 29.25 lakh crore (57.8% of BE), with Rs 22.67 lakh crore on revenue account and Rs 6.58 lakh crore on capital account.

Gig workers likely to strike, risking disruptions to app-based food and quick-commerce services on New Year's Eve.
Gig and platform workers in Mumbai and Maharashtra are poised to join a nationwide strike seeking higher payouts and better working conditions, likely affecting app-based food delivery and quick-commerce services during peak New Year's Eve demand. Police are monitoring developments and coordinating with employers and organisers to maintain public order and prevent untoward incidents, anticipating limited major disruptions but possible service interruptions for major delivery platforms.

Modern Diagnostic launches an IPO to raise funds for equipment, working capital, debt repayment and expansion.
Modern Diagnostic & Research Centre Limited proposes an Initial Public Offering on the BSE SME platform of up to 40,99,200 equity shares at a ?85-?90 price band to raise about ?36.89 crore, with specified share allocations among anchor investors, QIBs, non institutional and individual investors, and a market maker; net proceeds are to be used for capital expenditure on medical equipment, working capital, repayment of borrowings and general corporate purposes.

Operation Sindoor: India launched multi-domain strikes on terror camps and suspended the Indus Waters Treaty.
Operation Sindoor was a 2025 multi domain military campaign targeting terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir using precision strikes, integrated air land sea capabilities and counter UAS systems, coupled with non kinetic measures including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty as a deterrent lever; the operation was supported by accelerated defence procurement, nuclear and maritime force modernisation, and enhanced international defence cooperation.

Rupee fell about 5% in 2025 as foreign investor outflows and importer dollar demand pressured the exchange rate.
The rupee depreciated about 5% in 2025 due to sustained foreign portfolio investor outflows (approximately USD 16.5 billion) and increased importer dollar demand, leading to intra-year lows near 91.08 and a year-end level around 89.88; the central bank's Financial Stability Report linked the depreciation to falling terms of trade and slower capital flows while describing the financial system as resilient but exposed to near-term external risks.

Vodafone Idea moratorium and AGR dues freeze approved, payments deferred and reassessed under a binding committee.
The government froze Vodafone Idea's outstanding AGR dues and granted a five year moratorium, deferring repayment obligations with a scheduled start in 2031-32 and anticipated clearance by 2040-41; AGR liabilities for FY2017 18 and FY2018 19 remain payable over 2025-26 to 2030-31. Frozen dues will be reassessed by a committee based on audit reports, and that reassessment will be binding on both parties. The measures aim to protect government interests as shareholder, ensure orderly recovery of dues, preserve competition, and protect consumers, while noting the company's continued reliance on policy support and fresh capital.

Appointment of Sadanand Date as Maharashtra DGP for a two-year term, succeeding the retiring incumbent.
Appointment of Sadanand Date as Director General of Police of Maharashtra by the state home department for a two-year term, succeeding Rashmi Shukla upon her retirement; Date is a 1990-batch IPS officer repatriated to the Maharashtra cadre, formerly DG of the NIA and Maharashtra ATS chief, and recipient of the President's Police Medal for Gallantry for his role in the 26/11 attacks.

NH-326 widening project approved to upgrade a two-lane stretch to two-lane with paved shoulder under EPC mode.
The Cabinet approved widening and strengthening NH-326 by upgrading the two lane stretch to a two lane highway with paved shoulder from 68.600 km to 311.700 km under EPC mode, at a total capital cost of Rs 1,526.21 crore including Rs 966.79 crore for civil construction; the upgradation aims to improve travel safety and reliability and to enhance regional access to markets, healthcare, education, employment and tourism along the Gazette notified NH 326 route.

Stock markets ended 2025 higher as DIIs bought while FIIs sold, lifting Sensex and Nifty into annual gains.
Indian equity benchmarks closed the final 2025 session higher-Sensex up ~0.64% to 85,220.60 and Nifty up ~0.74% to 26,129.60-contributing to annual gains of ~9% and 10.50% respectively. The advance was driven primarily by short covering and selective buying, with DIIs net buyers (~Rs 6,159.81 crore) and FIIs net sellers (~Rs 3,844.02 crore). Stock level winners included Tata Steel, Kotak Mahindra Bank and Reliance; laggards included TCS, Tech Mahindra and Infosys. Brent crude traded near USD 61.53/barrel amid mixed global market cues.