IMPORTANT DAYS
75th Death Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
• 15 December marked the 75th death anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, remembered nationwide for his unmatched contribution to nation-building.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Patel, honouring his legacy as the “Iron Man of India.”
• Sardar Patel was Independent India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Union Home Minister, playing a decisive role in shaping the new nation.
• Born on 31 October 1875, he is widely recognised as the chief architect of India’s national integration.
• He laid the foundation of modern civil services, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), earning him the title of patron of civil servants.
• His leadership was pivotal in the merger of 565 princely states, ensuring India’s territorial unity.
• Patel earned the honorific “Sardar” after leading the historic Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928, a title bestowed by the women of Bardoli.
• Revered as the Unifier of India and Bismarck of India, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1991, while 31 October is observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in his memory.
IMPORTANT DAYS
75th Death Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
• 15 December marked the 75th death anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, remembered nationwide for his unmatched contribution to nation-building.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage to Patel, honouring his legacy as the “Iron Man of India.”
• Sardar Patel was Independent India’s first Deputy Prime Minister and Union Home Minister, playing a decisive role in shaping the new nation.
• Born on 31 October 1875, he is widely recognised as the chief architect of India’s national integration.
• He laid the foundation of modern civil services, including the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), earning him the title of patron of civil servants.
• His leadership was pivotal in the merger of 565 princely states, ensuring India’s territorial unity.
• Patel earned the honorific “Sardar” after leading the historic Bardoli Satyagraha of 1928, a title bestowed by the women of Bardoli.
• Revered as the Unifier of India and Bismarck of India, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1991, while 31 October is observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in his memory.
APPOINTMENTS
Nitin Nabin Appointed BJP National Working President
• Nitin Nabin has been elevated to the post of National Working President of the BJP with immediate effect by the party’s Parliamentary Board.
• The decision reflects recognition of his strong organisational skills and sustained contribution to party affairs.
• He currently serves as a minister in the Bihar government, handling the Road Construction Department under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
• A five-time MLA from the Bankipur Assembly constituency in Patna district, he has deep electoral experience.
• At 45 years, he has become the youngest person to hold the post of National Working President in BJP history.
• He is also the first BJP leader from Bihar to be appointed to this key national organisational position.
• Nitin Nabin is the son of late Nabin Kishore Prasad Sinha, a senior BJP leader and former legislator.
• With nearly two decades in party organisation, including a stint as Bihar BJYM President, his rise reflects long-term cadre grooming.
Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty Creates History at Press Club of India
• Senior journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty has become the first woman to head the Press Club of India.
• Her election marks a major milestone in leadership representation within the media community.
• The panel led by her achieved a complete victory, winning all posts with a 21–0 mandate.
• Elections were conducted on Saturday, with results declared after counting on Sunday.
• Afzal Imam was elected secretary general, while Jatin Gandhi secured the post of vice-president.
• Aditi Rajput and P R Sunil took charge as treasurer and joint secretary, respectively, without contest.
• A 16-member managing committee was elected, representing print, digital, and broadcast media.
• The newly elected body is expected to focus on press freedom, journalist welfare, and institutional reforms.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
PM Modi’s Three-Nation Diplomatic Tour
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun a three-country foreign tour, drawing global attention to India’s diplomatic engagements.
• The first stop is Jordan, where the visit is taking place at the invitation of King Abdullah II, with talks planned on bilateral, regional and global issues.
• The Jordan visit gains added significance as India–Jordan diplomatic ties complete 75 years in 2025.
• After Jordan, the Prime Minister will visit Ethiopia (16–17 December) and conclude the tour in Oman (17–18 December).
• In France, labour unions at the Louvre Museum have launched a phased strike over security concerns, staff shortages and infrastructure problems.
• The unrest follows incidents such as theft of crown jewels and reports of water leakage, affecting museum operations.
• In Hong Kong, the High Court is scheduled to pronounce its verdict in the national security case against media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai.
• The trial, linked to the 2020 national security law, has attracted international criticism, especially from the US and the UK.
NATIONAL NEWS
Kavita Chand Scales Mount Vinson, Scripts Indian Mountaineering History
• Kavita Chand from Almora, Uttarakhand successfully summited Mount Vinson, Antarctica’s highest peak.
• She reached the 4,892-metre summit on December 12 at 8:30 pm (local time).
• Mount Vinson is among the world’s toughest climbs due to extreme cold, isolation and harsh weather.
• Her expedition began from India on December 3 and progressed via Chile and Union Glacier.
• The climb was led by high-altitude expert Mingma David Sherpa with support from an Indian expedition team.
• A nine-member Indian group completed the ascent after careful acclimatisation.
• With this feat, Kavita moved closer to completing the prestigious Seven Summits challenge.
• She had earlier climbed Mount Elbrus and dedicated the Antarctic summit to national pride.
SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE
Two-Day Principals’ Conclave for Eklavya Model Residential Schools
• A national-level Principals’ Conclave is being organised by the National Education Society for Tribal Students (NESTS).
• The conclave will take place over two days, on 16 and 17 December, in New Delhi.
• It has been designed as a major capacity-building programme for school leadership.
• The focus is on enhancing academic, administrative, financial and leadership skills of principals.
• Participants include principals from Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) across the country.
• A total of 499 EMRS principals will attend the conclave at the national level.
• The core objective is to familiarise principals with ongoing projects and flagship initiatives.
• Special emphasis will be placed on partner-supported programmes being implemented in EMRS institutions nationwide.
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES
Quality Control Orders Rolled Out with MSME-Friendly Relaxations
• The government has phased in Quality Control Orders (QCOs) to protect domestic manufacturing and ensure product standards.
• Special relaxations have been extended to MSMEs, recognising their compliance and capacity challenges.
• Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), under the Department of Consumer Affairs, is responsible for enforcing these orders.
• Micro units have been given six months and small units three months of additional time to comply with QCO norms.
• Export-linked imports by Indian manufacturers and limited imports (up to 200 units) for R&D have been exempted.
• Existing stock produced or imported before QCO enforcement can be cleared within a six-month window.
• To ease certification, BIS has cut marking fees—by 80% for micro, 50% for small, and 20% for medium enterprises, with extra discounts for women-led and Northeastern MSMEs.
• Separately, the RBI has directed banks to link MSME loans to external benchmarks and shorten the interest reset cycle to three months, improving credit access.
ECONOMY NEWS
Wholesale Price Index (WPI) Trends – November 2025
• India’s wholesale price inflation remained in the negative zone at –0.32% in November 2025, as per official data released on 15 December.
• This marked a moderation from –1.21% recorded in October, indicating a gradual easing of deflationary pressures.
• The November figure was also significantly lower than the 2.16% WPI inflation seen in the same month last year.
• The overall decline was largely driven by softening prices of food items, mineral oils, crude petroleum, natural gas, basic metals and electricity.
• Deflation in food articles narrowed to 4.16%, improving from 8.31% in October, reflecting relative price stability.
• Vegetables remained in deflation at 20.23%, though less severe than the 34.97% decline recorded in the previous month.
• Pulses, potatoes and onions also saw sharp price declines, with deflation levels of 15.21%, 36.14% and 64.70%, respectively.
• Among other components, manufactured products inflation softened to 1.33%, while fuel and power prices stayed in deflation at 2.27% during November.
MISCELLANEOUS
India–Oman Free Trade Pact Cleared by Union Cabinet
• The Union Cabinet has given its nod to move ahead with a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and Oman.
• The decision was taken in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, ahead of his official visit to Oman.
• PM Modi’s visit to Oman on 17–18 December forms part of his three-nation tour covering Jordan, Ethiopia and Oman from 15–18 December.
• This will be the Prime Minister’s second official visit to Oman and aligns with 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
• The Cabinet clearance followed prior approval by Oman’s Shura Council, allowing negotiations to move forward smoothly.
• Formal talks on the trade agreement began in November 2023, reflecting deepening economic engagement.
• Bilateral trade grew from USD 8.947 billion (2023–24) to USD 10.613 billion (2024–25), supported by over 6,000 joint ventures in Oman.
• India–Oman relations, rooted in centuries-old maritime and trade links, were formally established in 1955 and elevated to a strategic partnership in 2008, with Oman also being a member of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
