1 Indian Army hosted Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025
The Indian Army organised the third edition of the Chanakya Defence Dialogue (CDD) 2025 in New Delhi on 27–28 November . The event showcases India’s commitment to transform its defence strategy in line with its changing security needs and global defence trends. Theme: “ Reform to Transform: A Strong, Secure and Developed India ” The dialogue brought together military leadership, strategic experts, diplomats, academics, youth and private sector representatives to deliberate on India’s security challenges and long-term defence transformation.
2 India ranked third in Asia Power Index 2025
India has secured the third position in the Asia Power Index 2025 , released by Australia ‘s Lowy Institute . This ranking is a testament to India’s growing regional and global influence. According to the report, India has made significant progress in the areas of economic power, military capability, and diplomatic influence, establishing itself as an emerging ” Major Power ” in Asia. This is the seventh edition of the index, published by the Lowy Institute, which evaluates 27 countries and regions in Asia. It includes a total of 131 indicators covering eight key areas: military capability, economic strength, defense networks, diplomatic influence, cultural influence, resilience, and future resources. This index measures a country’s ability to influence its external environment. This is the first time India has been included in the “Major Power” category. The report notes that India’s post-pandemic economic recovery, technological advancements, and geopolitical activism have led it to this position. Additionally, India’s international connectivity and strategic influence have strengthened its position. The United States ranked first in the index with a score of 81.7 , while China ranked second with a score of 73.7 . India ranked third, well ahead of other countries in South and Southeast Asia.
3 Rajinikanth honoured at the closing ceremony of the 56th International Film Festival of India
At the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) awards ceremony, legendary actor Rajinikanth was the star of the evening. He was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his 50 remarkable years in cinema . The ceremony also presented the prestigious Golden and Silver Peacock Awards for outstanding films, as well as special awards for outstanding films. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Shri L. Murugan, presented the Best Debut Director Award to Karan Singh Tyagi for ” Kesari: Chapter 2. ” At the IFFI closing ceremony, director Ash Mayfair and actress Tran Quan presented the Golden Peacock Award for Best Film for ” Skin of Youth .” Eric Svensson was presented with the ICFT UNESCO Gandhi Medal for ” Safe House .” Ubereimar Rios was awarded the Best Actor Award for ” A Poet .” Hessam Farahmand was awarded the Best Debut Feature Film for ” My Daughter’s Hair ” and Tonys Pil was awarded the Best Directorial Debut Award for ” Frank .” Santosh Davkhar was awarded the Silver Peacock Award for Best Director for the film ” Gondhaal “. Sofia Ostan was awarded the Silver Peacock Award for Best Actress (Female) for her performance in the Slovenian film ” Little Trouble Girls ” . British Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr’s powerful and thought-provoking film “My Father’s Shadow” was awarded the Special Jury Award at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
4 Mrityunjayi: Bhagwat Jha ‘Azad’s’ epic masterpiece released
A memorable event was held at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts to honor renowned writer and sharp political thinker Bhagwat Jha ‘Azad’, including the release of his epic poem ‘ Mrityunjayi ‘ and a literary discussion. Politician Janardan Dwivedi presided over the event, while Dr. Sachidanand Joshi, Member-Secretary, National Centre for the Arts, was the chief guest. Senior journalists Alok Mehta and Ashutosh also shared their views.
5 Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated the first indigenous pilot training aircraft ‘Hansa-3 NG’ in Bengaluru
Union Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, unveiled the production model of the indigenous Hansa-3 (NG) training aircraft . This is India’s first fully composite airframe two-seater aircraft, designed to meet the growing needs of pilot training (PPL) and CPL) . He informed that the technology transfer took place in Delhi a few months ago, and now, industry partner Pioneer Clean Amps has begun manufacturing. A new plant is also being built in Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, at a cost of ₹150 crore, where approximately 100 aircraft will be produced annually. Dr. Jitendra Singh stated that India will need approximately 30,000 pilots in the next 15-20 years, and the Hansa-3 (NG) is an important step towards meeting this domestic requirement through fully indigenous technology, reducing dependence on foreign trainer aircraft, and creating new livelihood and entrepreneurship opportunities in the aviation sector. Dr. Jitendra Singh inaugurated the Iron Bird facility for the Saras Mk-2 aircraft. He explained that this facility is crucial for testing all the aircraft’s systems on the ground. This reduces the risk of flight testing and accelerates development, as engineers can identify and fix design and software issues quickly.
6 Ashwini Vaishnav and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat flagged off the new Jaisalmer-Delhi (Shakur Basti) train service; the new train service will be named the ‘Swarna Nagari Express’
Union Minister of Railways, Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnav , and Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, flagged off the new Jaisalmer-Delhi (Shakur Basti) special train service from Jaisalmer station . In recognition of public sentiment, Shri Vaishnav announced that the Jaisalmer-Delhi (Shakur Basti) Express would be renamed the Swarna Nagari Express . The launch of the Jaisalmer-Delhi (Shakur Basti) Jaisalmer Express will significantly enhance rail connectivity between the national capital and the western region of Rajasthan. Cities like Ramdevra, Jodhpur, Makrana, Jaipur, and Alwar will now be connected to the national capital with greater ease and convenience.
7 Indian Navy gets a new boost: Nilgiri class stealth frigate ‘Taragiri’ delivered
The Indian Navy has added another significant milestone to its fleet. On Friday, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilding Limited (MDL), Mumbai, delivered the fourth indigenously built Nilgiri Class (Project 17A) Advanced Stealth Frigate, ” Taragiri, ” to the Indian Navy. This ship is one of three P17A ships built by Dock Shipbuilding Limited and marks a significant milestone in the Indian Navy’s indigenous warship construction. “Taragiri” has been developed as a redesign of the earlier INS Taragiri, which served in the Indian Navy from 1980 to 2013. This new frigate is equipped with stealth technology, high firepower, and advanced automation. Designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and overseen by the Mumbai-based Warship Overseeing Team, the ship is seen as a symbol of self-reliance in shipbuilding. This P17A class ship features indigenous ship design, stealth capability and modern combat systems.
8 Aviation alert: Potential risks to the Airbus A320 fleet
Aviation experts on Saturday stated that the air crisis could impact tourism and business, following Airbus ‘ announcement of a software update for its A320 aircraft . An Airbus A320 aircraft suddenly crashed mid-air, and its computer failed to shut down. This is because excess radiation can cause heating problems in the computer . These are highly technical aircraft, requiring software updates. Regarding the dangers of solar radiation in Airbus A320 aircraft, aviation expert Sanat Kaul stated that Airbus has issued instructions to all airlines regarding software updates. Indigo and Air India have responded that they are working on the matter. Furthermore, several other airlines in India that own A320 aircraft will also have to comply with this directive.
9 Jay Shah honoured with “Indian of the Year 2025”
International Cricket Council (ICC) Chairman Jay Shah has been honoured in the Outstanding Achievement category of the ” Indian of the Year 2025. ” The award recognizes his transformative leadership in cricket administration, landmark reforms, and his pivotal role in the rise of women’s cricket. The “Indian of the Year Awards” honor Indians who have made a significant impact at the national or global level. The Outstanding Achievement Award recognizes individuals who have achieved transformational change in their field through their vision, innovation, and influential leadership. Jay Shah’s journey—from BCCI Secretary (2019–2024) to ICC Chairman (2024–present)—is a story of administrative reforms, expansion strategies, and major changes to the cricket structure.
10 CBDT launches ‘NUDGE’ campaign
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has launched a new public awareness campaign called ‘ NUDGE ‘ to encourage taxpayers for voluntary compliance in income tax reporting . Its full form is Non-intrusive Use of Data to Guide and Enable , which aims to guide taxpayers in the right direction by using available data without intrusion. The campaign specifically urges taxpayers to re-examine their Income Tax Returns (ITRs) and revise them, if required, especially on details related to disclosure of Schedule FA (Foreign Assets) and Foreign Source Income (FSI). This move comes amid increasing scrutiny on cross-border transactions and foreign asset reporting globally, to enable India to move in line with international financial transparency standards.
11 Camicara becomes the first Indian rum to win ‘Global Brand of the Year’
In a landmark achievement for the Indian spirits industry , Camikara has been named ‘ Rum Brand of the Year ‘ at The Spirits Business Awards 2025 held in London . Camikara became the first Indian rum to receive this accolade, establishing its strong presence among Caribbean and Latin American giants that traditionally dominate the category. This achievement not only reflects the growing global popularity of Indian craft spirits but also underscores the growth of premium rum production in India – a sector where Camikara has led with innovation, authenticity, and quality. Camikara, produced by Piccadilly Agro Industries Limited, is India’s first aged rum made from pure sugarcane juice – a technique rarely used outside of regions like Martinique or Réunion.
12 MapmyIndia Partners with Zoho CRM to Power India’s First Indigenous Location Intelligence
MapmyIndia Mappls —the country’s leading geospatial and mapping company —has partnered with Zoho , one of India’s most successful SaaS companies. The collaboration aims to integrate advanced location intelligence features directly into Zoho CRM . This partnership is India’s first fully indigenous CRM-geospatial integration, providing Indian businesses with new capabilities to make smart, secure, and location-based decisions. This move is also a strong contribution towards the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission.
13 Asian Paints becomes the official colour partner of Indian cricket
Asian Paints , India’s leading paint and decor brand, has signed a major deal with the BCCI . Asian Paints will now serve as the ‘ Official Color Partner ‘ for the board for the next three years. The deal will cover over 110 matches of all men’s, women’s and domestic cricket matches played in India. The company aims to connect 1.4 billion Indians with every aspect of cricket. This collaboration is indicative of a growing trend where non-traditional sectors like paint and home decor are also using the vast platform of cricket to reach millions of fans across the country.
14 India’s Giovanna De Sequeira won the bronze medal at the 14th World Jiu-Jitsu Championship
Ten-year – old Giovanna De Siqueira made history by winning a bronze medal at the World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025 in Abu Dhabi . Competing in the under-28 kg, Infant/Girls (Gi) category, Giovanna impressed spectators and judges with her discipline, technical skill, and incredible strength—an achievement made all the more special considering she recently recovered from a major knee injury. Her mother, Lourdes De Siqueira, acknowledged the crucial role played by family support and the guidance of coach Ronak Singh. Giovanna was accompanied by her older sister, Erica De Siqueira, a trained martial artist herself, during the competition.
15 Renowned Bharatanatyam dancer Kumari Kamala passes away
The world of Indian classical dance has lost a towering figure. Renowned Bharatanatyam dancer Kumari Kamala — also known as Kamala Lakshminarayanan or Baby Kamala — passed away in California, USA, at the age of 91. Her journey from a child prodigy to a world-renowned performer and teacher is etched in golden letters in the history of Bharatanatyam. Her life was a living testimony to a significant transformation in Indian dance traditions—the transformation from Sadir to Bharatanatyam. Kamala was one of the few artists who witnessed the historic evolution of Sadir dance, popular in temples, to the stage-appropriate modern Bharatanatyam. As a disciple of the renowned guru Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai, she mastered the delicacy, elegance, rhythm, and expressiveness of Vazhuvoor bani to the highest levels.