1. WINTER SESSION OPENS WITH DEBATES ON DIGITAL GOVERNANCE AND ELECTORAL INTEGRITY
SUBJECT: POLITY
- The Winter Session of Parliament began with heated discussions on digital constitutionalism, following the government’s withdrawal of the Sanchar Saathi app mandate due to privacy concerns raised by civil society groups over surveillance risks.
- Opposition parties demanded immediate debates on electoral reforms, including the Special Intensive Revision of voter rolls, highlighting potential exclusions of marginalized communities and urging amendments to the Representation of the People Act.
- The Rajya Sabha passed a resolution on strengthening federalism, addressing Centre-State tensions in higher education regulation through the proposed Higher Education Commission of India Bill, aiming for greater autonomy in university governance.
- A PIL in the Supreme Court sought guidelines for judicial oversight of AI in governance, citing Article 21 violations in data privacy, with the bench emphasizing the need for a national framework on algorithmic accountability.
- Parliamentary Affairs Minister announced flexibility for Opposition-led discussions on national security and animal rights legislation, while critiquing anthropocentric biases in existing wildlife protection laws.
- Concepts: Article 21 – Right to privacy as a fundamental right in digital realms; Federalism – Balancing Centre-State powers under Schedules 7 and 11 for inclusive electoral processes.
2. CYCLONE DITWAH REMNANTS TRIGGER SCHOOL CLOSURES AND FLOOD ALERTS IN TAMIL NADU
SUBJECT: NATIONAL
- Heavy rainfall from Cyclone Ditwah’s remnants continued to affect northern Tamil Nadu districts like Chennai, Tiruvallur, and Kancheepuram, leading to school and college holidays on December 6 and prompting flood relief operations.
- The Tamil Nadu Disaster Management Authority deployed NDRF teams for urban waterlogging rescue in Chennai, with Chief Minister urging faster completion of stormwater drain projects to mitigate future cyclone impacts.
- Enforcement Directorate raids on entities linked to digital frauds uncovered mule accounts in Tamil Nadu, intensifying probes under PMLA to curb cybercrimes amid rising complaints in coastal areas.
- A nationwide mock drill by the Ministry of Home Affairs simulated disaster scenarios in 250 districts, including Tamil Nadu, testing inter-agency coordination for cyclone response and community evacuation protocols.
- Tamil Nadu government announced enhanced subsidies for renewable energy adoption in rural areas, aligning with national decarbonization goals while addressing power disruptions from the cyclone.
- Concepts: Disaster Management Act, 2005 – Roles of NDMA in multi-hazard preparedness; Environmental Clearance – Integrating climate resilience in urban infrastructure under EIA Notification 2006.
3. INDIA-RUSSIA SUMMIT CONCLUDES WITH TRADE PACT AMID GLOBAL PRESSURES
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL
- The 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit ended with a joint statement on expanding bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2030, focusing on energy diversification and joint ventures in critical minerals despite U.S. tariff concerns.
- Prime Minister Modi and President Putin reaffirmed commitments to the INSTC corridor, enhancing connectivity while discussing de-escalation along the LAC through confidence-building measures with China.
- The U.S. approved $52.8 million in sonobuoy sales to India, bolstering anti-submarine capabilities and underscoring Quad partnerships for Indo-Pacific security amid ongoing trade negotiations.
- At the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting, India pledged support for regional maritime security, finalizing tech transfers for drone surveillance with Southeast Asian partners to counter non-traditional threats.
- Qatar’s mediation efforts in Gaza ceasefire were highlighted in bilateral talks, with India offering humanitarian aid and advocating for multipolar reforms in UN peacekeeping structures.
- Concepts: Non-Alignment 2.0 – India’s strategic autonomy in balancing Russia-U.S. ties; Indo-Pacific Framework – Enhancing maritime domain awareness via Quad initiatives.
4. RBI CUTS REPO RATE TO 5.25% AMID LIQUIDITY BOOST FOR GROWTH
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- The RBI reduced the repo rate by 25 basis points to 5.25%, citing weakness in manufacturing PMI and export slowdowns, while projecting FY26 GDP growth at 7.3% driven by private consumption.
- A ₹1 trillion Open Market Operation purchase was announced alongside a $5 billion dollar-rupee swap to stabilize the rupee below 90/USD, countering FII outflows and supporting banking liquidity.
- GST collections rose modestly to ₹1.7 trillion in November, reflecting festive demand but highlighting urban slowdowns; IMF revised India’s growth forecast to 6.8% for FY26 on contained inflation.
- Nominal GDP growth dipped to 10.2% in Q2, raising fiscal deficit concerns despite real GDP at 8.2%, with experts urging PLI scheme expansions for export targets of $2 trillion by 2030.
- Forex reserves hit $655 billion, providing a buffer against global volatility, while rural remittances surged 12% YoY, offsetting urban consumption softening in key sectors like services.
- Concepts: Monetary Policy Framework – RBI’s inflation-targeting under Section 45ZB; Balance of Payments – Managing CAD through forex interventions per IMF Article VIII obligations.
5. INDIGENIZATION DRIVE SCRAPS IMPORTS FOR DRONES AND MISSILES
SUBJECT: DEFENCE
- The Defence Ministry cancelled tenders for imported MALE drones and short-range missiles, prioritizing indigenous production under the 2025-26 budget of ₹7.86 lakh crore to achieve 100% self-reliance by year-end.
- HAL delivered the fifth F404-IN20 engine for LCA Mk1A, accelerating Tejas induction with GE collaboration, while JSW Group invested $90 million in a Hyderabad drone facility for AI-enabled systems.
- India-Russia talks advanced on co-producing Su-57 components under Make in India, with support for S-400 spares manufacturing to sustain existing fleets amid LAC infrastructure upgrades.
- The U.S.-India INDUS-X initiative expanded to include joint R&D on secure supply chains, aligning with Quad efforts for regional deterrence against hybrid threats.
- Post-Galwan, Army enhanced border surveillance with anti-drone tech and 5.1 million volunteer integrations, focusing on rapid deployment and confidence-building to avert escalations.
- Concepts: Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 – Promoting private sector via positive indigenization lists; Strategic Autonomy – Balancing imports with alliances for technological sovereignty.
