📊 Index & Rankings
The TasteAtlas World Food Awards 2025–26 released rankings of the world’s best food cities, highlighting cuisine as a key driver of global tourism.
Italian cities dominated the top 10 positions, reaffirming Italy’s global culinary influence.
Mumbai ranked 5th globally, earning praise for its rich and diverse street food culture. A total of six Indian cities featured among the top 100 food cities worldwide.
The rankings reflect growing global appreciation of India’s culinary diversity and the increasing importance of food tourism.
🇮🇳 National News
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate Rashtra Prerna Sthal in Lucknow on the occasion of the 101st birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Key features of the memorial complex:
- Constructed at an estimated cost of ₹230 crore
- Spans over 65 acres
- Houses 65-foot-tall bronze statues of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Deendayal Upadhyaya, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee
- Features a modern, lotus-shaped museum
The project is designed to promote ideals of leadership, national service, good governance, along with cultural and educational awareness.
India has commissioned Unit-2 (250 MW) of the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, located on the Arunachal Pradesh–Assam border.
The project is India’s largest hydropower initiative, with a total planned capacity of 2,000 MW.
Key features:
- It is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project, contributing clean and renewable energy to the national grid
- Strengthens electricity availability in the North-Eastern region
- Supports India’s Net Zero climate commitments
- Equipped with advanced engineering techniques including flood moderation measures
Full commissioning is expected by 2026–27, with an annual generation potential of over 7,400 million units of electricity.
Madhya Pradesh has announced that it will become India’s first state to implement a three-year rolling budget system starting from 2026–27.
The announcement was made by Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda.
Budget structure:
- Detailed estimates for 2026–27
- Indicative projections for 2027–28 and 2028–29
- Allows periodic revisions based on actual fiscal performance
The initiative focuses on public participation, increased capital expenditure, and long-term economic planning. It aims to enhance fiscal transparency, policy continuity, and promote sustainable development.
The Haryana government has officially declared Hansi as the 23rd district of the state.
Key details:
- Carved out of Hisar district
- Came into effect on December 22, 2025
- Includes the Hansi and Narnaund subdivisions
- Notification issued under the Haryana Land Revenue Act and Registration Act
The move aims to strengthen local administration, accelerate development activities, improve law and order, and ensure quicker access to government services for residents.
💼 Business & Economy
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced liquidity infusion measures on December 23, 2025.
A total of ₹2.90 lakh crore will be injected into the banking system to improve system liquidity and manage foreign exchange market volatility.
| Method | Amount |
|---|---|
| Open Market Operations (OMOs) via govt securities | ₹2 lakh crore (4 tranches) |
| Dollar-Rupee Buy/Sell Swap Auction ($10 billion) | ₹90,000 crore |
These measures aim to support banks, stabilize liquidity conditions, and counter global economic uncertainties.
🎖️ Defence
The Indian Coast Guard inducted its first Pollution Control Vessel (PCV) named ‘Samudra Pratap’.
The vessel has been indigenously built by Goa Shipyard Limited, marking a major advancement in marine environmental protection.
Key features:
- Advanced pollution response systems
- Firefighting equipment
- Security systems
- Dynamic Positioning System
- Over 60% indigenous components
The vessel will enhance marine pollution control, search and rescue operations, maritime law enforcement, and protection of India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh released a comprehensive DPR preparation manual developed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
The manual aims to strengthen strategic road infrastructure in border and remote areas.
Key aspects standardised:
- Planning and design
- Cost estimation
- Quality control
The initiative seeks to reduce delays, minimize cost overruns, and improve project accuracy. It will improve defence connectivity, troop mobility, and logistics, while also supporting regional socio-economic development.
The Indian Navy officially decommissioned INS Sindhughosh on December 19, 2025.
The submarine served the Navy for over four decades.
Key facts:
- Commissioned in 1985
- Lead vessel of the Sindhughosh-class submarines
- Played a vital role in underwater combat, maritime surveillance, and crew training
The decommissioning ceremony at Naval Dockyard honoured former commanders, veterans, and crew members.
The event marked a shift towards modern and indigenous submarine platforms, while celebrating the submarine’s enduring legacy.
DRDO successfully completed user evaluation trials of the Akash Next Generation (Akash-NG) air defence missile system.
Trial highlights:
- Demonstrated successful interception of aerial targets at low, medium, and high altitudes
- Confirmed high accuracy, faster response time, and operational reliability
Key features:
- Indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) seeker
- Advanced propulsion system
The system will significantly strengthen the Indian Air Force’s air defence capabilities and reinforce Atmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing.
🏆 Awards
President Droupadi Murmu presented the Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025 at Gantantra Mandap, Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The awards ceremony was held on December 23, 2025.
A total of 24 scientists and scientific teams were honoured.
Award categories:
- Vigyan Ratna
- Vigyan Shri
- Vigyan Yuva (Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar)
- Vigyan Team
The awards recognised exceptional contributions to science, technology, and innovation across various disciplines in India.
📚 Books & Authors
Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan released the book “Sanatan Sanskriti Ki Atal Drishti” on December 23, 2025.
The book is authored by Vasudev Devnani, Speaker of the Rajasthan Assembly.
The book explores:
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s value-based leadership
- His governance philosophy and long-term vision for India
- The importance of the Pokhran nuclear tests in building a self-reliant and confident India
🔬 Science & Technology
NASA has lost communication with its Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) orbiter.
The spacecraft went silent in early December 2025, after more than 10 years of operation.
Key details:
- Preliminary data indicates unexpected spacecraft rotation and possible orbital disturbances
- Launched in 2013
- Played a critical role in studying atmospheric loss on Mars
- Also served as a communication relay for Mars rovers
Other Mars orbiters have now taken over its communication responsibilities.
ISRO successfully launched the BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite on December 24, 2025.
The launch was conducted using the LVM-3 heavy-lift rocket, also known as ‘Baahubali’, from Sriharikota.
Key details:
- Satellite developed by AST SpaceMobile
- Designed to provide direct broadband connectivity to ordinary smartphones without the need for special equipment
The mission marks a major step towards global mobile connectivity. It also strengthens India’s commercial space launch capabilities and highlights ISRO’s growing role in launching advanced international payloads.
🕊️ Obituaries
Celebrated Hindi author Vinod Kumar Shukla passed away at the age of 88 in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
He was a distinguished novelist, poet, and short story writer.
Known for his simple yet deeply meaningful writing style, his works focused on ordinary lives, human emotions, and dignity.
Notable works:
- Deewar Mein Ek Khidki
- Naukar Ki Kameez
Awards received:
- Jnanpith Award
- Sahitya Akademi Award
His passing marks the loss of a major literary voice, leaving behind a lasting legacy of minimalist and sensitive literature.
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