1. WINTER SESSION KICKS OFF WITH 14 KEY BILLS AMID OPPOSITION DEMANDS FOR ELECTORAL REFORMS
SUBJECT: POLITY
- The Winter Session of Parliament commenced with the government tabling 14 significant Bills, including the Atomic Energy Bill, 2025, enabling private sector entry into nuclear energy, and the Higher Education Commission of India Bill, 2025, for regulatory reforms in universities.
- Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju informed the Rajya Sabha that the government is open to debates on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and electoral reforms, advising the Opposition against rigid timelines.
- At an all-party meeting, Opposition leaders collectively urged priority discussions on national security, federalism challenges, and SIR’s impact on voter inclusivity.
- A nationwide letter-petition campaign has approached the Supreme Court seeking enhanced animal protection laws and legal representation for animals, critiquing anthropocentric biases in democratic systems.
- The Supreme Court has directed the CBI to aggressively investigate ‘digital arrest’ cyber frauds, empowering probes into banks handling mule accounts to fortify digital governance.
- Concepts: Article 110 – Governs Money Bill certification, central to legislative fiscal scrutiny; Federalism Principles – Essential for Centre-State harmony in electoral processes.
2. REMNANTS OF CYCLONE DITWAH BRING MODERATE RAINFALL ACROSS TAMIL NADU DISTRICTS
SUBJECT: NATIONAL
- Moderate rainfall lashed several Tamil Nadu districts including Chennai, Thiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Cuddalore, and Ranipet due to remnants of Cyclone Ditwah lingering near the Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coast.
- The Regional Meteorological Centre in Chennai forecasted heavy to very heavy rain in Chennai and Tiruvallur until December 2, prompting school and college holidays in these areas.
- Enforcement Directorate interrogated Al Falah University founder Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, linked to the Red Fort blast probe, intensifying anti-terror financing efforts.
- India’s energy policy is pivoting towards decarbonization and resilience, with AI data centers fueling demand for gigawatt-scale renewables, grid upgrades, and storage solutions amid governance fragmentation.
- Ministry of Home Affairs conducted a nationwide mock civil defence drill in 244 districts, simulating border tensions to enhance community preparedness and inter-agency coordination.
- Concepts: Disaster Management Act, 2005 – Outlines NDMA and SDMA roles for cyclone responses; Environmental Impact Assessment – Balances energy transitions with ecological safeguards.
3. INDIA EVACUATES LAST NATIONALS FROM SRI LANKA AMID CYCLONE DITWAH RELIEF EFFORTS
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL
- India completed evacuation of its remaining citizens from Sri Lanka, escalating humanitarian aid for Cyclone Ditwah victims through coordinated rescue operations, reinforcing bilateral crisis ties.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi on December 4-5 for the India-Russia Annual Summit is set to target $100 billion trade by 2030, emphasizing private sector roles and multipolar advocacy.
- The U.S. approved $92.8 million in arms sales to India, enhancing defense interoperability and acknowledging India’s Indo-Pacific contributions amid tariff easing in trade negotiations.
- At the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ meeting, India and the U.S. finalized a 10-year defense partnership framework, expanding 2016’s Major Defense Partner status for tech collaboration and over $20 billion trade.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s SCO Summit participation in Tianjin indicated warming India-China ties, addressing LAC disengagement and selective economic reopenings.
- Concepts: Non-Alignment 2.0 – Shapes India’s balanced diplomacy; Indo-Pacific Strategy – Bolsters U.S.-India alignments for regional security.
4. INDIA’S Q2 GDP GROWS 8.2%, OUTPACING ESTIMATES AMID ROBUST CONSUMPTION
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- India’s real GDP surged 8.2% year-on-year in July-September 2025, surpassing 7.3% forecasts, propelled by 7.9% private consumption and strong public investment, according to NSO data.
- Services expanded over 9%, manufacturing at 7.5%, though exports grappled with U.S. tariffs, widening the current account deficit.
- Rupee hit a record low of 84.75 against USD due to $2.5 billion FII outflows in November, yet Sensex and Nifty neared peaks at 82,500 and 25,100 on domestic strength.
- IMF upgraded FY26 growth to 6.8%, praising 4.2% contained inflation and formal job gains, while cautioning on urban demand slowdown and global trade risks.
- Rural consumption at 7.9% countered urban softening, aided by MSP increases and remittances; forex reserves at $650 billion cushion volatility.
- Concepts: Balance of Payments – Rupee depreciation signals import strains under IMF Article VIII, with RBI stabilizing via forex interventions; Atmanirbhar Bharat – Aligns GDP momentum with PLI schemes for $2 trillion exports by 2030.
5. DEFENCE MINISTRY CANCELS IMPORTS OF KEY EQUIPMENT TO BOOST INDIGENIZATION
SUBJECT: DEFENCE
- India’s 2025-26 defence budget at ₹7.86 lakh crore (US$93 billion) is projected to reach US$415.9 billion by 2029, prioritizing indigenization lists for 100% domestic production by December 2025.
- The Ministry scrapped imports for Coast Guard helicopters, all-terrain vehicles, and short-range missiles, shifting to indigenous alternatives following foreign deal irregularities.
- U.S.-India ties advanced through INDUS-X for AI co-development and secure supply chains, aligning with Quad initiatives for regional deterrence.
- India-Russia military cooperation via the Inter-Governmental Commission focuses on advanced arms joint ventures, supporting India’s 5.1 million volunteer forces.
- Post-Galwan enhancements include LAC infrastructure buildup, anti-PLA tech adoption, and confidence-building to prevent escalations.
- Concepts: Strategic Autonomy – Drives import curbs and alliances; Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 – Enables private sector indigenization.
