🇮🇳 National News
In December 2025, NITI Aayog published a comprehensive policy report titled “Internationalisation of Higher Education in India: Prospects, Potential, and Policy Recommendations”. The report aims to position India as a global education hub and a major research destination, aligning with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The report complements reforms proposed under the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, which seeks to modernise the higher education ecosystem.
Despite rising global student mobility, India faces a severe imbalance – in 2024, approximately 28 Indian students studied abroad for every one international student studying in India. Indian students’ overseas education spending is projected to reach ₹6.2 lakh crore by 2025, accounting for nearly 2% of India’s GDP and about 75% of the trade deficit for FY 2024–25.
The report highlights the urgent need to reduce brain drain, retain domestic talent, strengthen education-led soft power, and enhance knowledge diplomacy and long-term economic sustainability.
Chillai Kalan, the harshest winter phase in the Kashmir Valley, has begun. It lasts for 40 days, from 21 December to 30 January. The term is a traditional Kashmiri expression denoting the most intense winter period.
The period is marked by extremely low temperatures, frequent snowfall, frozen water bodies, and icy winds.
Chillai Kalan is followed by Chillai Khurd (20 days of milder cold) and Chillai Bacha (10 days of relatively moderate winter).
The Meteorological Department has forecast rain in the plains and moderate to heavy snowfall in higher-altitude areas. District administrations in Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora have issued advisories, urging residents, especially those in mountainous regions, to avoid unnecessary travel during snowfall.
💼 Business & Economy
Fintech platform PayNearby has been granted Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) licence approval by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The TPAP licence allows non-banking entities to develop and operate UPI-based digital payment applications in India.
After receiving approval, PayNearby launched its dedicated UPI application named “PayNearby Saathi”, strengthening its footprint in India’s digital payments ecosystem.
The application integrates BHASHINI, the Government of India’s national language translation platform. Users can interact with the app using voice commands in their preferred Indian languages, receiving real-time voice responses – significantly enhancing financial inclusion in rural and semi-urban regions.
Established TPAP players such as PhonePe, Google Pay, and Paytm already operate in this space, positioning PayNearby among leading UPI service providers.
Canara Bank, a prominent Public Sector Bank (PSB), has introduced a new UPI-based digital payment app called ‘Canara ai1Pe’. The app is designed to deliver quick, safe, and seamless digital payment experiences for users across different banks.
Canara ai1Pe allows customers to link savings or current accounts from any bank, ensuring complete UPI interoperability.
Key services available on the app include:
- Instant UPI fund transfers
- QR-code-based merchant payments
- Utility bill payments
- Mobile and DTH recharges
The app employs device binding, restricting access exclusively to the registered mobile number. UPI PIN authentication is mandatory for all transactions. It also supports the UPI Delegate feature (UPI Circle), enabling primary account holders to add trusted family members with spending limits (such as ₹15,000 per month).
UPI Autopay functionality allows automated payments for subscriptions, EMIs, SIPs, and utility bills. The app features an intuitive interface, reward offerings, and basic financial management tools.
The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), under the Ministry of Finance, notified the PFRDA (Exits and Withdrawals under the NPS) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025. These amendments modify the original 2015 NPS Exit and Withdrawal Regulations.
The revised regulations primarily apply to the Non-Government Sector, including the All Citizen Model and Corporate Sector. Changes have been uniformly implemented across Common Schemes (CS) and Multiple Scheme Framework (MSF).
Lock-in Period: The compulsory 5-year lock-in period has been removed for all citizen models.
Vesting Period: For All Citizen Model – 15 years or until age 60, whichever is earlier.
Lump Sum Withdrawal: Non-government subscribers can now withdraw up to 80% (increased from 60%).
Mandatory Annuity: Reduced from 40% to 20% for non-government subscribers.
Maximum Age: Extended from 75 years to 85 years for NPS continuation.
Withdrawal Rules Based on Corpus Size:
| APW Amount | Lump Sum Limit | Annuity Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| ≤ ₹8 lakh | 100% | Optional (20% non-govt / 40% govt) |
| ₹8 lakh – ₹12 lakh | Max ₹6 lakh | Remainder for annuity/SUR (min 6 years) |
| > ₹12 lakh | 80% (non-govt) / 60% (govt) | 20% (non-govt) / 40% (govt) |
New Feature – Loans Against NPS: Subscribers can now pledge their NPS corpus to obtain loans from regulated financial institutions, capped at 25% of own contributions. Permissible purposes include higher education, marriage, house purchase, and medical treatment.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved Blackstone’s acquisition of a 9.99% stake in Federal Bank through warrants. The investment will be made via Asia II Topco XIII Pte Ltd, a Blackstone-affiliated entity.
Each warrant will be convertible into one fully paid-up equity share. Upon full conversion, Blackstone will hold 9.99% of Federal Bank’s paid-up share capital on a fully diluted basis. Blackstone will be entitled to nominate one director to the Federal Bank Board, subject to maintaining a minimum 5% shareholding.
In a separate clearance, CCI also approved Tata Steel’s acquisition of sole control of Tata BlueScope Steel. Tata Steel will acquire the remaining 50% stake from BlueScope Steel Asia Holdings Pty Ltd. Tata BlueScope Steel operates in the coated steel segment, while Tata Steel is engaged in iron ore mining, pellet production, sponge iron, and crude steel manufacturing.
These approvals reflect CCI’s role in ensuring fair competition while facilitating strategic investments.
🛡️ Defence
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully completed User Evaluation Trials (UETs) of the Next Generation Akash (Akash-NG) missile system. The trials demonstrated the missile’s capability to intercept multiple aerial targets.
Targets included low-altitude threats near borders and long-range high-altitude targets.
Akash-NG is a surface-to-air missile system featuring an indigenous Radio Frequency (RF) seeker, powered by a solid rocket motor. It can neutralise fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, and other airborne platforms.
Key indigenously developed components include:
- Multi-Function Radar (MFR)
- Command and Control Unit
- Missile Launch Vehicle (MLV)
The trials were conducted in collaboration with Indian industry. Successful UETs bring Akash-NG closer to induction, strengthening India’s layered air defence system and indigenous defence capabilities.
The Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), in collaboration with IP Bazzaar, organised Tech Talk 2025 in New Delhi. The event’s theme was “Minerals That Matter: Geopolitics, Sovereignty & Value Chains”.
The keynote address was delivered by Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee (CISC).
Critical minerals were identified as vital for:
- National security
- Defence capability development
- Technological sovereignty
Advanced defence systems such as jet engines, missiles, precision munitions, radars, satellites, batteries, and semiconductors depend heavily on assured access to critical minerals.
The initiative aligns with Viksit Bharat 2047 and Aatmanirbhar Bharat visions. Key measures include identification of critical minerals, establishment of the National Critical Mineral Mission, and strengthening extraction, processing, manufacturing, and recycling value chains.
The event also marked the launch of 30 technical reports on critical minerals covering IP landscapes and market analysis.
🔬 Science & Technology
Researchers at IIT Delhi have developed AILA (Artificially Intelligent Lab Assistant). AILA is an AI agent capable of independently conducting real-world scientific experiments.
The system represents a shift from AI-assisted research to AI-driven laboratory operations.
AILA functions on an agentic AI framework, enabling autonomous decision-making, experiment execution, and data analysis without human intervention. It uses a chatbot-style English interface that converts user instructions into executable commands for lab instruments.
Japan has approved the restart of the Kashiwazaki–Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant, the world’s largest nuclear facility. The decision follows a key regional approval vote.
This marks Japan’s gradual return to nuclear energy nearly 15 years after the Fukushima disaster of 2011. Kashiwazaki–Kariwa was among 54 reactors shut down following the earthquake and tsunami. The Fukushima Daiichi accident was the most severe nuclear disaster since Chernobyl.
Japan has so far restarted 14 of its 33 operable reactors. Nuclear restarts aim to reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels and improve energy security. Fossil fuels currently contribute 60–70% of Japan’s electricity generation.
Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) will restart the plant, marking its first nuclear restart since 2011. The move reflects Japan’s shift towards a balanced energy mix combining nuclear and renewable energy to meet rising demand from AI data centres and achieve carbon neutrality.
Japanese semiconductor major ROHM Company Limited has partnered with Tata Electronics Private Limited (TEPL). The collaboration aims to manufacture semiconductors for both domestic and global markets, supporting the Make in India initiative.
Target sectors include:
- Automotive
- Consumer electronics
- Internet of Things (IoT)
- Artificial Intelligence
- Defence
- Aerospace
The initiative seeks to establish a sustainable and resilient semiconductor supply chain in India.
📅 Important Days
Good Governance Day 2025 is observed on 25 December. The day commemorates the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a Bharat Ratna awardee. It coincides with Christmas and is observed as a working day for the Government of India.
The observance highlights the commitment to citizen-centric and transparent governance.
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) launched Good Governance Week 2025, observed from 19 to 25 December. DARPG Secretary Rachna Shah released guidelines for the ‘Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore’ campaign, focusing on administrative outreach, grassroots service delivery, and strengthening accountability and transparency.
The observance originated after Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya were jointly awarded the Bharat Ratna on 23 December 2014. Prime Minister Narendra Modi subsequently declared 25 December as Good Governance Day.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure as Prime Minister:
- 13 days in 1996
- March 1998 to April 1999
- Full term from 1999 to 2004
He entered the Rajya Sabha in 1962 and was elected to the Lok Sabha seven times. He received the Bharat Ratna in 2015.
🕊️ Obituaries
Eminent Hindi writer Vinod Kumar Shukla passed away at the age of 89. He died due to age-related ailments at AIIMS Raipur on 23 December 2025.
Hailing from Chhattisgarh, he was regarded as one of the most distinctive voices in modern Hindi literature. His writing style was known for its simplicity, minimalism, and emotional depth.
Notable literary works include:
- Naukar Ki Kameez
- Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rehti Thi
- Lagbhag Jai Hind
- Khilega To Dekhenge
- Ek Chuppi Jagah
Deewar Mein Ek Khidki Rehti Thi received the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1999. Naukar Ki Kameez was adapted into a film by filmmaker Mani Kaul, linking literature with parallel cinema. In 2023, Shukla became the first Hindi writer to receive the PEN/Nabokov Lifetime Achievement Award, along with a $50,000 prize.
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