1 Modi receives Ethiopia’s highest honour
Ethiopia honoured Prime Minister Modi with its highest honour – The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia . Ethiopia broke old traditions in honouring PM Modi. PM Modi is the first foreign head of state in the world to be awarded the country’s highest honour – The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia. He is the 25th country in the world to have honoured him with the highest honour. No Indian Prime Minister has received so many top honours before Modi. This honour was conferred on PM Modi in a special ceremony held at the Addis International Convention Centre.
The World Health Organization (WHO) ‘s second Global Summit on Traditional Medicine will be held in New Delhi from December 17-19, 2025. It will foster a global dialogue on health and well-being. Co-organized by the World Health Organization and the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India, the summit will bring together policymakers, scientists, practitioners, indigenous knowledge holders, and civil society leaders from around the world to advance a shared vision for balanced, inclusive, and sustainable health systems. The theme of the summit is “Restoring Balance: The Science and Practice of Health and Well-Being.” At a time of global health system inequities, environmental stress, and rising chronic diseases, the summit will reassert the relevance of traditional medicine and strengthen its role based on science, evidence, and responsible practice. Building on the success of the first summit held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, in 2023 , the New Delhi summit is an important step towards establishing traditional medicine on the global health agenda.
India and ADB sign loan agreement worth over $2.2 billion for development projects
The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed five loan agreements totaling over $2.2 billion to support various development projects . This financing will advance initiatives under India’s national flagship programs in skill development and rooftop solar system deployment, as well as projects supporting healthcare, metro development, and ecotourism promotion in three states. The Government of India’s engagement with ADB to finalize the loans was led by Mr. Baldev Purusharth, Joint Secretary (ADB and Japan), Department of Economic Affairs. Accordingly, the loan agreements were signed by Mr. Saurabh Singh, Deputy Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, on behalf of the Government of India, and Ms. Aarti Mehra, Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Country Director, India Resident Mission, on behalf of ADB. The signed projects include the Prime Minister’s Skills and Employment Transformation Support through Upgraded Industrial Training Institutes Program ($846 million); the Accelerating Affordable and Inclusive Rooftop Solar Systems Development Program (Subprogram 1 – $650 million); These include the Assam State Tertiary Healthcare Enhancement Project ($398.8 million); the Chennai Metro Rail Investment Project ($240 million in Tranche 2); and the Integrated Ecotourism and Sustainable Agriculture-based Livelihoods Development Project in Meghalaya ($77 million).
4 Dr Jitendra Singh introduced the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025 in Parliament
Minister of State for Science and Technology, Dr. Jitendra Singh, introduced the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025 in Parliament , a significant step towards updating the legal framework governing India’s nuclear energy. The proposed bill aims to repeal the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 , and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010 , and consolidate them into a single, comprehensive law tailored to India’s current and future energy needs. The proposed bill is closely linked to India’s long-term energy and climate goals. It outlines the country’s roadmap for carbon neutrality by 2070 and the target of achieving 100 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2047. To achieve these goals, the bill emphasizes the need to fully utilize indigenous nuclear resources and ensure active participation of the public and private sectors , while also establishing India as a contributor to the global nuclear energy ecosystem.
5 Union Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan introduced the “Developed India – Ji Ram Ji Bill” in the Lok Sabha
Union Minister for Rural Development, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan introduced the Vikasit Bharat – Ji Ram Ji ( Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin ): VB–G Ram G Bill- 2025) in the Lok Sabha. Under this, a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment will be provided every year. Shivraj Singh said in Parliament that our resolve is the welfare of the poor and we have tried to fulfil that resolve. Not only the welfare of the poor but also the complete development of villages, which Mahatma Gandhi also used to say – building a complete village, a self-reliant village, a developed village. Provision for this has been made in it and not only a provision, we have decided that the Central Government will spend more than Rs 95 thousand crore on this.
6 Vice Chief of Indian Navy Visit to Maldives – Conclusion of Exercise Ekta – 2025
Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Vice Chief of the Indian Navy , is on an official visit to Maldives from 15 to 17 December 2025. The primary purpose of his visit is to participate in the closing ceremony of the joint bilateral maritime exercise ‘Ekta 2025’ held between India and Maldives. Exercise Ekta, which commenced in 2017 , is an annual bilateral maritime exercise conducted between the Indian Navy and the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF). The 8th edition of the exercise witnessed extensive professional interactions aimed at enhancing interoperability and operational synergy. Activities included technical and combat diving, boarding operations, firing exercises, demolition and explosive management, asymmetric warfare tactics, and special heli-borne operations exercises.
7 DSC A20 (formerly Diving Support Craft) commissioned
The Indian Navy formally commissioned DSC A20, the first of five Diving Support Ships (DSCs), into the Navy during a ceremony held at Kochi Naval Base on December 16, 2025. These ships are being indigenously built by M/s Titagarh Rail Systems Limited. The ceremony was presided over by Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, and hosted by Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition. Senior Naval officers, representatives from Kolkata-based M/s Titagarh Rail Systems Limited, and other distinguished guests were present at the ceremony. The contract for construction of the five Diving Support Ships was signed on February 12, 2021, between the Ministry of Defence and Kolkata-based M/s Titagarh Rail Systems Limited.
In a landmark step towards environmentally sensitive infrastructure development, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched India’s first wildlife-safe road on a section of National Highway 45 (NH-45) in Madhya Pradesh . The initiative aims to reduce animal-vehicle collisions and ensure smooth road connectivity through forest corridors. This wildlife-safe road is located on the 11.96-kilometer-long Hiran Sindoor section of NH-45 , connecting Bhopal and Jabalpur . Located approximately 60 kilometers from Jabalpur, the route passes through dense forest between the Nauradehi Wildlife Sanctuary and the Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve . This area is home to numerous wildlife species, including tigers, deer, sambar, and jackals, and has frequently caused accidents due to animals crossing the road. The project’s most distinctive feature is the table-top red road markings, which are being used for the first time in India. Unlike traditional speed breakers, these are slightly raised, checkered red surfaces etched into the road. Their design creates a table-top effect, allowing drivers to naturally reduce speed without sudden braking. The bright red color is more visible than traditional white or yellow markings and warns drivers that they are entering a wildlife-sensitive area. These markings are installed along almost the entire 12-kilometer forest stretch to ensure consistent speed control.
9 B. Sairam becomes the new CMD of Coal India Limited
The Ministry of Coal has appointed B. Sairam as the new Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Coal India Limited (CIL) . The appointment, announced on December 15, 2025, entrusts the leadership of the world’s largest coal producer to an experienced mining professional. This leadership change is considered crucial from the perspectives of energy security, public sector governance, and industrial policy.
10 First indigenous 1.0 GHz microprocessor made in India
India has achieved a historic milestone towards technological self-reliance with the launch of DHRUV64 . This is the country’s first fully indigenous 1.0 GHz, 64-bit dual-core microprocessor . It has been developed by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) under the Microprocessor Development Programme (MDP) . This processor is considered a significant step towards strengthening India’s domestic semiconductor design ecosystem. Developed under the Microprocessor Development Programme, this chip will help India reduce its dependence on foreign chips. According to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) , this processor strengthens India’s indigenous processor pipeline and is capable of supporting both strategic and commercial applications.
11 Victory Day
Vijay Diwas, also known as Victory Day or Bijoy Dibos , is celebrated every year on December 16 in India and Bangladesh . In 2025, this day marks the 54th anniversary of India’s historic victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak War . This war reshaped the geopolitics of South Asia and resulted in the creation of Bangladesh . This day commemorates the decisive military victory and pays tribute to the martyrs of both countries who laid down their lives in the war. On December 16, 1971, the Pakistani Armed Forces formally surrendered to the Indian Armed Forces and the Mukti Bahini (Bangladesh Liberation Army) in Dhaka (then East Pakistan) . This surrender ended the Bangladesh Liberation War and the 1971 Indo-Pak War—one of the most decisive victories in India’s military history. Approximately 93,000 Pakistani soldiers surrendered , considered the largest military surrender since World War II .