INTERNATIONAL NEWS
President Putin’s Upcoming India Visit
• Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit India on 4–5 December for the 23rd India–Russia Annual Summit, following an invitation from PM Narendra Modi.
• The leaders will conduct a comprehensive assessment of bilateral ties and chart fresh priorities for their Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.
• President Droupadi Murmu will host a state banquet in honour of President Putin during his stay.
• This will be Putin’s first trip to India since the 2022 Ukraine conflict, marking a significant diplomatic engagement.
• India is working to strengthen relations with Russia while carefully balancing its partnerships with the U.S. and European Union.
• The visit comes amid U.S. imposition of an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods linked to purchases of Russian oil.
• The meeting is crucial as India prepares for a major EU–India summit in January, which is expected to advance progress on an FTA and deeper security cooperation.
• Key agenda items include addressing India’s widening trade deficit with Russia and discussions on the proposal to acquire five additional S-400 air defence system squadrons.
STATE NEWS
Andhra Pradesh Announces Creation of Three New Districts
• CM N. Chandrababu Naidu has cleared the formation of Polavaram, Markapuram, and Madanapalle districts, raising the state’s total count to 29.
• The restructuring also includes five additional revenue divisions and one new mandal, along with boundary adjustments across multiple regions.
• Penugonda mandal in West Godavari has been officially renamed Vasavi Penugonda.
• The new Polavaram district will operate from Rampachodavaram and include the Rampachodavaram and Chintoor revenue divisions.
• Markapuram district will be formed by combining the Markapuram and Kanigiri revenue divisions.
• The proposed Madanapalle district will bring together the Madanapalle and Pileru revenue divisions.
• New revenue divisions will be set up at Nakkapalli, Addanki, Pileru, Banaganapalle, and Madakasira as part of the reorganisation.
• A fresh mandal named Pedda Harivanam will be created by bifurcating Adoni mandal in Kurnool district.
Assam Land Ceiling Amendment for Tea Garden Workers
• The Assam Fixation of Ceiling on Land Holdings (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was passed to ensure land settlement for tea garden workers living in labour lines.
• Nearly 3.33 lakh workers who have stayed in these colonies for generations will now gain legal ownership rights.
• The amendment removes labour lines from the category of areas reserved for special cultivation, enabling targeted land allocation to residents.
• Workers from the Joloha Muslim community engaged in tea gardens have been kept outside the Bill’s scope.
• The government now has the authority to acquire land within labour lines and transfer all associated rights to the state.
• The reform intends to provide stable housing and long-term security, reducing threats of eviction.
• Settlement efforts will directly benefit workers who have historically lived without formal land titles.
• Assam has 825 registered tea estates, with labour colonies spread across over 2.18 lakh bighas, reflecting the scale of the initiative.
56th International Film Festival of India
• The 56th IFFI wrapped up in Goa, with the closing ceremony held at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium.
• CM Pramod Sawant praised the festival for promoting artistic collaboration and celebrating global cinema.
• Dharmendra received a special honour for his iconic and decades-long contribution to Indian films.
• Rajnikanth was recognised for completing 50 remarkable years in the movie industry.
• The Golden Peacock (Best Feature Film) went to Ashleigh Mayfair’s Skin of Youth, portraying two young people navigating identity and love in 1990s Saigon.
• Santosh Davakhar won the Silver Peacock for Best Director for his Marathi film Gondhal.
• Major acting honours went to Ubeimar Rios (A Poet) and Jara Sofija Ostan (Little Trouble Girls).
• Awards such as the Special Jury Prize (My Father’s Shadow), Best Debut Feature Film (My Daughter’s Hair & Fränk), UNESCO Gandhi Medal (Safe House), Best Indian Debut Director (Kesari 2), and OTT Panorama Award (Bandish Bandit 2) rounded off the event.
RANKING AND INDEX
India’s Position in the Asia Power Index 2025
• India has climbed to third place in the Asia Power Index 2025, following the U.S. at the top and China in second.
• The Index is compiled by the Lowy Institute of Australia, which annually measures the influence and capability of Asian nations.
• India’s score has risen from 38.1 in 2024 to 40 in the 2025 edition, marking its shift upward from the earlier ‘Middle Power’ category.
• It now stands ahead of Japan (4th) with 38.8 points and Russia (5th) with 32.1 points.
• The report highlights that although both India and China improved their scores, the power gap between them remains substantial.
• The assessment notes India’s consistent upward trajectory and suggests that the country is likely to enter the ‘major power’ bracket by 2025 as per the Index’s criteria.
• The seventh edition covers 27 countries and territories, using an extensive framework of 131 indicators.
• These indicators are grouped under eight core themes, including military strength, defence partnerships, economic weight, foreign relations, cultural presence, resilience, and future capabilities.
SPORTS
Rohit Sharma Named Ambassador for Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
• The ICC has selected Rohit Sharma as the official ambassador for the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
• The honour follows his leadership in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup victory, where he captained the team to their second title.
• Across his T20I career, Rohit accumulated 4,231 runs, maintaining an average of 32.01 with a strong strike-rate of 140.89.
• He featured in both of India’s championship-winning campaigns—first in 2007 and again in 2024.
• During the 2007 World Cup, he contributed crucial knocks, including an unbeaten 88 runs across Super Eight matches and the final.
• In 2024, he emerged as India’s top run-getter, scoring 257 runs at a strike-rate of 156.70.
• Rohit retired from T20Is after the 2024 title win, closing his international T20 career on a high note.
• The 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to take place from 7 February to 8 March 2026.
SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE
44th India International Trade Fair Concludes with Award Ceremony
• The 44th India International Trade Fair wrapped up at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, with an award ceremony marking the end of the 14-day event attended by over 18 lakh visitors.
• The fair highlighted the theme “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat”, showcasing participation from a wide range of sectors and states.
• Dr. Neeraj Kharwal, MD of ITPO, presented the Excellence in Display Awards across multiple categories.
• Rajasthan and Jharkhand stood out as top performers in the Partner State and Focus State categories respectively.
• Odisha, Meghalaya, and Haryana led the awards in the State Pavilion, Thematic Presentation, and Swachh Pavilion categories.
• Thailand, the Ministry of Defence, and Airports Authority of India secured leading positions in the Foreign Pavilion, Ministries, and PSUs categories.
• Boards such as the Tea Board, and organisations in communication and empowerment sectors, also earned top honours, with several states and ministries receiving special commendations.
ECONOMY NEWS
India’s Q2 FY26 GDP Performance
• India posted 8.2% GDP growth in Q2 FY26, outpacing both Q1’s 7.8% and last year’s 5.6%, marking the strongest pace in six quarters.
• Manufacturing surged 9.1%, a major jump from 2.2% last year, helping lift overall industrial momentum.
• The services sector expanded 9.2%, with finance, real estate, and professional services rising 10.2% — their best in nine quarters.
• Public administration, defence, and allied areas also showed solid progress with 9.7% growth.
• Agriculture grew at 3.5%, slightly below both last year’s 4.1% and Q1’s 3.7%.
• Nominal GDP rose 8.7% in Q2, adding strength to the overall economic picture.
• With the first half of FY26 averaging 8% growth, momentum remains broadly positive.
• CEA V. Anantha Nageswaran noted that a strong Q2 supports a full-year growth expectation of 7% or higher.
