1. SUPREME COURT DIRECTS STATES TO DEPLOY EXTRA STAFF FOR SPECIAL INTENSIVE REVISION OF ELECTORAL ROLLS
SUBJECT: POLITY
- The Supreme Court has instructed all states and union territories to provide additional personnel to booth-level officers (BLOs) handling the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, addressing complaints of overburdened staff and delays in voter verification processes.
- This directive comes amid opposition protests in Parliament’s Winter Session, where leaders demanded urgent debates on SIR’s implementation, citing potential voter deletions and impacts on inclusivity, especially for marginalized communities.
- The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has proposed removing 35 communities, mainly Muslim groups, from West Bengal’s central OBC list after reviewing 2014 inclusions, reigniting discussions on affirmative action and social justice criteria.
- Students and faculty at the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) in Kolkata staged protests against the draft ISI Bill, 2025, arguing it undermines the institute’s autonomy as an Institution of National Importance by centralizing governance.
- The government briefed Parliament on the four Labour Codes’ rollout from November 21, focusing on gig economy formalization, though unions criticized provisions for easing worker dismissals and reducing bargaining power.
- Concepts: Article 326 – Ensures universal adult suffrage, central to SIR’s voter verification; Federalism – Balances Centre-state roles in electoral reforms under Article 324.
2. CYCLONE DITWAH REMNANTS TRIGGER HEAVY RAINS AND SCHOOL HOLIDAYS IN TAMIL NADU
SUBJECT: NATIONAL ISSUES
- Remnants of Cyclone Ditwah brought heavy to very heavy rainfall to Tamil Nadu districts like Chennai, Tiruvallur, and Kancheepuram on December 4, leading to school and college closures and heightened flood alerts from the IMD.
- The Tamil Nadu government extended holidays in affected areas until December 5, while declaring December 13 a working day to offset disruptions, with relief teams distributing aid in low-lying regions.
- New parliamentary data revealed 34% of Indian children under five are stunted due to malnutrition, showing marginal progress but highlighting delivery gaps in schemes like Poshan Abhiyaan, particularly in rural Tamil Nadu.
- Enforcement Directorate grilled Al Falah University founder Jawad Ahmed Siddiqui under PMLA over links to the Red Fort blast inquiry, as part of broader anti-terror financing drives impacting national security.
- The Ministry of Home Affairs launched a pan-India mock civil defence exercise across 244 districts, including Tamil Nadu, simulating border threats to improve disaster response and local coordination.
- Concepts: Disaster Management Act, 2005 – Defines NDMA/SDMA duties for cyclone mitigation; National Food Security Act, 2013 – Aims to curb stunting via integrated child development services.
3. PUTIN ARRIVES IN INDIA FOR ANNUAL SUMMIT AMID FOCUS ON DEFENCE AND TRADE TIES
SUBJECT: INTERNATIONAL
- Russian President Vladimir Putin landed in New Delhi on December 4 for a two-day visit, greeted by PM Modi at the airport, to attend the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit targeting $100 billion bilateral trade by 2030 despite Western sanctions.
- India airlifted a 65-tonne Bailey Bridge to Sri Lanka under Operation Sagar Bandhu to aid Cyclone Ditwah recovery, with Colombo lauding the gesture as a boost to ‘Neighbourhood First’ humanitarian partnerships.
- U.S. sanctions on Russian oil firms prompted India to slash Russian crude imports by 38% in value and 31% in volume in October 2025, shifting to diversified suppliers while maintaining energy security.
- At the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting, India and the U.S. progressed a 10-year defence pact, enhancing tech sharing and trade exceeding $20 billion under the Major Defense Partner status.
- PM Modi’s SCO Summit in Tianjin advanced India-China border disengagement talks, with phased LAC troop pullbacks and limited trade resumptions signaling cautious diplomatic thawing.
- Concepts: Non-Alignment 2.0 – Underpins India’s balanced Russia-U.S. engagements; Indo-Pacific Strategy – Strengthens regional alliances for stability and countering coercion.
4. RUPEE PLUMMETS TO RECORD LOW OF 90.43 AS FII OUTFLOWS MOUNT
SUBJECT: ECONOMY
- The Indian rupee depreciated 28 paise to an all-time low of 90.43 against the USD in early December 4 trading, fueled by $2.5 billion FII outflows in November and a ballooning trade deficit from gold imports.
- Q2 FY26 GDP surged 8.2% year-on-year, beating 7.3% projections, driven by 7.9% private consumption and public capex, with services PMI hitting 9% growth despite manufacturing slowdowns at 7.5%.
- IMF revised FY26 growth outlook to 6.8%, applauding 4.2% inflation containment and job formalization, but flagged urban consumption dips and U.S. tariff risks to export competitiveness.
- India is poised to surpass Japan as the world’s fourth-largest economy by March 2026, with nominal GDP approaching $4 trillion, though per capita income trails global peers amid inequality concerns.
- Rural demand climbed 7.9%, buoyed by MSP revisions and steady $650 billion forex reserves, offsetting urban weakness; however, GST cess collections fell 69% year-on-year to ₹4,006 crore.
- Concepts: Balance of Payments – Rupee slide reflects import pressures under IMF Article VIII; Atmanirbhar Bharat – Leverages PLI incentives for $2 trillion export goal by 2030.
5. INDIA-RUSSIA DEFENCE MINISTERS’ MEETING FOCUSES ON S-400 DELIVERIES AND S-500 ACQUISITION
SUBJECT: DEFENCE
- Defence Ministers Rajnath Singh and Andrey Belousov co-chaired the 22nd India-Russia Military Technical Cooperation meeting on December 4, prioritizing S-400 regiment deliveries and exploring S-500 procurement for advanced missile interception.
- The Indian Army validated the BrahMos missile’s 1,500 km ultra-long-range variant in a Bay of Bengal test on December 1, affirming its precision in maritime strikes and integration with indigenous platforms.
- JSW Group committed $90 million for a Hyderabad facility with U.S. firm Shield AI to produce V-BAT drones, targeting 45% local content by 2026 to bolster unmanned surveillance capabilities.
- During Putin’s visit, talks advanced on acquiring extra S-400 units and Su-57 stealth fighters, alongside joint ventures for Akula-class submarine leases to fortify underwater deterrence.
- The Navy is set to commission its first MH-60R Seahawk squadron (INAS 334) at INS Hansa in December 2025, enhancing anti-submarine warfare with 24 U.S. helicopters from a $946 million agreement.
- Concepts: Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020 – Facilitates indigenization via public-private ties; Strategic Autonomy – Diversifies imports while deepening Russia-U.S. defence collaborations.
