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We are here for you to provide the important Recent and Latest Current Affairs December 16 2025, which have unique updates of Latest Current Affairs 2025 events from all newspapers such as The Hindu, The Economic Times, PIB, Times of India, PTI, Indian Express, Business Standard and all Government official websites.

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NATIONAL AFFAIRS

Overview of Italy’s Deputy PM Antonio Tajani’s Visit to India from December 10-12 2025Antonio Tajani, Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister(PM) and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, visited India from 10 to 12 December 2025 to strengthen the India‑Italy Strategic Partnership and enhance bilateral cooperation. This marked his second visit to India in 2025.

• Earlier he visited India from April 11 to 12, 2025.

Highlights of Italy’s Deputy PM Antonio Tajani’s Visit to India:
Arrival: On December 10, 2025, Antonio Tajani arrived at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, Delhi. He was welcomed by Union Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, Ministry of External Affairs(MEA).
High-Level Meeting: Italy’s Deputy PM Antonio Tajani held bilateral meetings with PM Narendra Modi and discussed deepening cooperation across trade, security, connectivity and strategic projects. He invited PM Modi to visit Italy in 2026.

• He met Ajit Doval, National Security Advisor(NSA), highlighting interests in trade, strategic cooperation, maritime and security issues.

Italy-India Business Forum: On December 11, 2025, He co-chaired the Italy-India Business Forum 2025 along with Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MoC&I) in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Signing of India-Italy JCEC: On December 12, 2025, Union Minister Piyush Goyal and Tajani signed the Agreed Minutes of the 22nd session of the India-Italy Joint Commission for Economic Cooperation (JCEC).

• The protocol provides a structured roadmap for economic collaboration, including clearly defined trade and investment targets, sector-specific working groups, and regular institutional dialogue to monitor progress.

About Italy:
Prime Minister (PM) – Giorgia Meloni
Capital – Rome
Currency – Euro (EUR)
>>Read Full News

Cabinet Approvals On December 12, 2025On December 12, 2025 the Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, approved the following proposals,
Cabinet approves plan for conducting Census of India 2027:
Cost: The Union Cabinet has approved Rs 11,718.24 crores (Cr) for conducting the Census of India 2027.
Phases: The Census of India would be conducted in two phases:

• Houselisting and Housing Census – April to September, 2026
• Population Enumeration (PE) – February 2027

1st Digital Census: This will be India’s first fully digital census, with data collection through mobile application on Android and iPhone Operating System(iOS).
Union Cabinet approves MSP for Copra for 2026 season:
The CCEA approved the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for copra for 2026 season.
MSP: The MSP for 2026 has been fixed at Rs 12,027 per quintal for milling copra and Rs 12,500 per quintal for ball copra, up by Rs 445 and Rs 400 respectively from the previous season.
Nodal Agencies: National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation (NCCF) will continue to act as Central Nodal Agencies (CNAs) for procurement of copra under Price Support Scheme (PSS).
CCEA Approves ‘CoalSETU Window’ For Industrial Use And Export
On December 12, 2025 the CCEA approved the the ‘CoalSETU(Seamless, Efficient & Transparent Utilisation)’ window to facilitate auction-based allocation of coal linkages for various industrial uses and exports, ensuring equitable access and efficient utilization of coal resources.
Expansion: The policy permits long-term allocation of coal linkages through auctions for all industrial uses and exports by introducing a new window, CoalSETU, under the Non-Regulated Sector(NRS) Linkage Auction Policy, 2016, allowing any domestic coal consumer to participate in linkage auctions.

• Coking coal shall not be offered under this window, and traders will not be permitted to participate.

>>Read Full News

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Inaugurated 3rd Global IALA Council Session in Mumbai, MaharashtraIn December 2025, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) virtually inaugurated the 3rd Session of the Council of the International Organisation for Marine Aids to Navigation (IALA) in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

• Mumbai as the host of this global event reaffirmed India’s commitment to strengthening global maritime cooperation and promoting international standards in navigation, safety and sustainability.

About 3rd IALA Council Session:
Organiser: The 3rd session of the Council of IALA, held from December 08 to December 12, 2025, was organised by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships (DGLL) which works under MoPSW.
Key Participants: The session brought together 42 IALA Council members, 3 Affiliated Industrial Members Group (AIMG) members, 11 observers, IALA Secretariat delegates and representatives from over 30 countries.
Key Launch: During the inaugural session, Union Minister Sonowal launched the Digital Ticketing Portal for Lighthouse Tourism, aimed to enhance transparency, ease of access and improved convenience for visitors across 75 lighthouse destinations.
Solar Power Milestone: All 193 Indian lighthouses now fully solar-powered, reducing carbon footprint and operational costs by 40%.
Maritime Heritage Showcase: Highlighted National Maritime Heritage Complex (NMHC) at Lothal, Gujarat – world’s first Lighthouse Museum tracing 5,000-year maritime history from Harappan civilization.
Key Focus Areas in Maritime Sector: The Union Minister emphasised reforms under Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision (MAKV) 2047, focusing on port infrastructure development, shipbuilding support, green shipping, digital transformation, and strengthening Aids to Navigation (AtoN) systems and capacity-building for developing maritime nations.
About International Organisation for Marine Aids to Navigation (IALA):
IALA was established in 1957 as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) named the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities. It transitioned into an Intergovernmental Organisation (IGO) in August 2024 following ratification by 34 states, and adopted its current name.
Secretary-General- Francis Zachariae (Denmark)
Headquarters- St Germain en Laye, France

MoT Launched Nationwide Chaupal Program to Empower Handicraft Artisans
In December 2025, The Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) under Ministry of Textiles (MoT), launched the nationwide rollout of the Chaupal Program in New Delhi, Delhi, during the National Handicrafts Week (8-14 December 2025) celebrations to empower handicraft artisans across India.

• Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary of MoT, graced the event as the Chief Guest.

Chaupal Program Overview:
Objective: The hubs aim to promote awareness of India’s handicraft traditions, empower artisans, encourage entrepreneurship, and facilitate sustainable handicraft clusters through artisan enrolment, scheme awareness, skill development, entrepreneurship promotion, and digital onboarding.
Framework: The Chaupal Program is guided by the core mantra of Reform, Perform, Transform, and Inform.
Alignment: The initiative aligns with the objectives of the National Handicrafts Development Programme (NHDP).
Platform: Chaupals are permanent, district-level engagement hubs to be established across 100 identified handicraft aspirational districts.
Launch & Kits: Neelam Shami Rao distributed Chaupal Kits containing audio-visual materials and essential equipment for demonstrations, awareness sessions, and capacity-building workshops.

VP C.P Radhakrishnan Releases Commemorative Postage Stamp to Honour Emperor Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar IIOn December 14, 2025, Vice President (VP) of India C.P Radhakrishnan released a commemorative postage stamp in honour of Emperor Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II, also known as Suvaran Maran, at the Vice President’s Enclave in New Delhi, Delhi.

• Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Ministry of Finance (MoF); Harivansh Narayan Singh, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha; Union Minister Dr. L. Murugan, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs (MPA), were also present.

About Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II:
Overview: He was a prominent ruler of ancient Tamil Nadu (TN) and belonged to the Mutharaiyar dynasty, which ruled central TN from the 7th to 9th centuries Common Era (CE).
Kingdom: He ruled from Thanjavur and surrounding regions in present-day TN. His territory included areas such as Tiruchirapalli, Pudukottai, Perambalur, and Thiruvarur.
Stamp Significance: The stamp honours Emperor Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II for his administrative stability, territorial expansion, cultural patronage, and military prowess.

DoP Signs MoU with BSE to Expand MF Access Across India
In December 2025, Department of Posts (DoP), also known as India Post, under Ministry of Communications, signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) to enhance financial inclusion and broaden access to Mutual Fund (MF) investments.

Key Details of MoU:
Signatories: The MoU was officially signed in New Delhi(Delhi) by Manisha Bansal Badal, General Manager (Customer Care Services & Retail Business, CCS & RB), Department of Posts(DoP), and Sundararaman Ramamurthy, – Managing Director(MD) and Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of BSE, in the presence of senior officials from both organisations.
Role of Entities: Under the MoU, India Post will distribute MF products through its postal network. The initiative will use BSE StAR MF, India’s largest MF distribution platform.

• BSE will support National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) MF Distributor certification and onboarding of trained postal staff.

Role Postal Employees: The selected postal staff will be trained and certified as MF distributors. They will help customers choose suitable MF products, execute transactions, and provide investor support services.

• The certified employees will receive Employee Unique Identification Number (EUIN), a 10‑digit alphanumeric code,  for transparency.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Overview of 7th UN Environment Assembly Held in Nairobi, KenyaThe 7th session of the United Nations Environment Assembly(UNEA-7), the world’s highest decision-making body for matters related to the environment, was held from December 08 to 12, 2025 at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
About UNEA-7:
Theme: The theme of UNEA-7 is “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet”.
Chair: The UNEA-7, chaired by His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Ali Al-Amri, President of the Environment Authority of the Sultanate of Oman and President of UNEA-7.
Participants: The week-long UNEA-7 was attended by over 6,000 delegates from various governments, international organisations, civil society and the private sector of 186 countries.

• Union Minister of State (MoS) Kirti Vardhan Singh, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change(MoEFCC), represented India at the UNEA-7.

Champions of Earth Award 2025: Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Government of Tamil Nadu (TN) (India), was honoured with the UNEP’s 2025 Champions of the Earth Award.

• Other 2025 awardees included Brazil-based research institute Imazon in the Science and Innovation category and the youth-led Non-Government Organisation (NGO) Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISCFCC) in the Policy Leadership category.

Outcomes: The UNEA-7 concluded with Member States adopting 11 resolutions, three decisions and a Ministerial Declaration aimed at advancing sustainable solutions for a more resilient planet.
Election of New President of UNEA-8: On the concluding day, Matthew Samuda, Minister for Water, Environment and Climate Change of Jamaica, was elected President of the 8th UNEA (UNEA-8) which is scheduled to be held from December 06 to 10, 2027 in Nairobi.
>>Read Full News

BANKING & FINANCE

ADB Approves Loans for Chennai Metro, Mizoram Healthcare, and Women-led MSME Finance in IndiaIn December 2025, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved three major loans of USD 240 million for Chennai Metro Expansion Phase 2, USD 108 Million for Mizoram Public Healthcare and USD 100 Million for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Finance for Women Borrowers to support infrastructure, healthcare, and financial inclusion initiatives in India.
About Chennai Metro Expansion – Phase 2:
Financing: ADB approved a USD 240 million second tranche under the USD 780 million facility sanctioned in 2022, to promote clean, safe, and reliable urban mobility in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, TN.
Network: Phase 2 spans 118.9 kilometer (km) across three corridors

• Line 3: The Purple Line spans 45.8 km from Madhavaram to SIPCOT-2 (State Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu Limited in Siruseri, Chennai, TN).
• Line 4: The Orange Line covers 26.1 km between Lighthouse and Poonamallee Bus Depot.

Line 5: The Red Line extends 47 km from Madhavaram to Sholinganallur.
 About Mizoram Public Healthcare Strengthening:
Programme: ADB approved a USD 108 million results-based loan to support public healthcare system strengthening and achieve universal health coverage in Mizoram.
Coverage: The Mizoram Universal Health Care Scheme (MUHCS) provides cashless coverage of up to Rs. 5 lakh per family annually.
Integration: The programme integrates Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) and state schemes into a single platform linking primary, secondary, and tertiary care.
 About MSME Finance for Women:
Financing: ADB approved a USD 100 million loan to Five-Star Business Finance Limited in Chennai, TN.
Objective: The programme expands MSME loan access for women entrepreneurs from lower-income groups to promote financial inclusion.
Coverage: The initiative serves 400,000+ borrowers across tier-3 cities and underserved regions through 700+ branches.
About Asian Development Bank (ADB):
President – Masato Kanda (Japan)
Headquarters – Manila, the Philippines
Member nations: 69
Established – 1966
>>Read Full News

AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS

Siliserh Lake and Kopra Jalashay Designated as India’s 95th and 96th Ramsar SitesIn December 2025, India included Siliserh Lake in Alwar district, Rajasthan and Kopra Jalashay near Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh in the List of Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar List) under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, 1971, as its 95th and 96th Ramsar Sites, increasing the country’s total number of Ramsar Sites to 96.

• With this inclusion, Rajasthan now has 5 Ramsar Sites, while Chhattisgarh records its first-ever Ramsar Site.

 About Siliserh Lake, Rajasthan:
Overview: Siliserh Lake is a human-made freshwater lake, built in 1845 by Maharaja Vinay Singh to supply drinking water to Alwar city, located about 8 miles southwest of the city within the buffer zone of the Sariska Tiger Reserve.
Ecological Significance: It serves as a vital water source and biodiversity-rich habitat, supporting eco-tourism and birdwatching.
Climate & Area: Siliserh Lake lies in a semi-arid region and covers about 7 square kilometres (sq km) or (km²).
 Kopra Jalashay, Chhattisgarh:
Location: Kopra Jalashay is a reservoir-type wetland, originally constructed for irrigation, located near Bilaspur in the upper catchments of the River Mahanadi and surrounded mainly by farmland and a few villages.
Ecological Significance: The wetland provides important sites for nesting, feeding, and stop-over of migratory birds and is valued by local communities and tourists for birdwatching.
About Ramsar Convention on Wetlands:
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an international treaty for wetland conservation and sustainable use, was adopted in 1971 in Ramsar, Iran, came into force in 1975, and India acceded to it on 1 February 1982.
Secretary-General (SG)- Dr. Musonda Mumba
Headquarters – Gland, Switzerland.
>>Read Full News

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

Andrej Babis Sworn-in as Czech Republic’s New PM In December 2025, Slovak-born billionaire businessman and leader of populist ANO(Action of Dissatisfied Citizens) party Andrej Babis, officially sworn-in as the new Prime Minister (PM) of Czech Republic by President Petr Pavel, during a ceremony held at Prague Castle, Prague, Czech Republic.

• Andrej Babis succeeded Petr Fiala, who served as PM of the country from 2021-2025.
• His appointment followed the October 2025 parliamentary elections, marking the return of the former PM nearly four years after his 2017–2021 term.

Czech Parliamentary Elections 2025:
Coalition Government: Following the parliamentary elections, Andrej Babis’s party agreed to form a majority coalition government with two small political groups, the Freedom and Direct Democracy (SPD), anti-migrant party and the right-wing Motorists for Themselves Party.
Parliamentary Seats: The new coalition government holds 108 seats in the 200-seat Lower House of Parliament.
About Andrej Babis:
Founder of Agrofert: In 1993, Andrej founded Agrofert, currently, the largest agricultural, food and chemical company in the Czech Republic.
ANO Movement: In November 2011, he founded the ANO movement, means ‘Yes’ in Czech.
Political Career: Elected to the Czech Parliament in 2013, he served as First Deputy PM and Finance Minister in the 2013–2017 governing coalition.
Prime Ministership: He served as PM of the Czech Republic from December 2017 to December 2021 following the 2017 electoral victory of his ANO movement.

• He became the oldest and wealthiest Czech PM, as well as the first born outside the Czech Republic, the first with dual citizenship, and the first whose native language was not Czech.

Honors: Andrej Babis was awarded as the Minister of Finance of the Year in 2016, in recognition of his work in the area of developing European economies.
About Czech Republic:
President- Petr Pavel
Capital- Prague
Currency- Czech Koruna (CZK)

Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty Elected as First Women President of PCI
On December 14, 2025, Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty, a senior Indian journalist from Assam, was elected as the first woman President of the Press Club of India (PCI), following the club’s elections held in New Delhi, Delhi.

• Afzal Imam was elected Secretary General, Jatin Gandhi became Vice-President, while Aditi Rajput and P R Sunil were elected Treasurer and Joint Secretary, respectively, both unopposed.

About Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty:
Profile: Sangeeta began her career in 1996 with the United News of India (UNI). She was the first woman from Northeast India (Assam) to be employed at the headquarters of UNI in New Delhi.
Career: Later, she served as a Special Correspondent in The Hindu, where she reported exclusively on national politics, governance, social issues, and topics related to Northeast India.

• She moved to digital journalism with The Wire, serving as National Affairs Editor.

Fellowship & Research: In 2011, she was awarded an Inclusive Media Fellowship by the Centre for Development Studies (CSDS).
Awards: In 2017, She received the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award and in 2023, she was awarded the Parag Kumar Das Journalism Award.

SPORTS

India Defeats Hong Kong to Win First-Ever Squash World Cup Title in Chennai
The World Squash Federation (WSF) in collaboration with The Squash Rackets Federation of India (SRFI) organized the 2025 Squash World Cup, which was held at Express Avenue Mall in Chennai, Tamil Nadu (TN), from 9 to 14 December 2025.

• The Indian mixed-team clinched its first-ever 2025 Squash World Cup title after a dominant 3–0 victory over top-seeded Hong Kong in the final, becoming the first Asian nation and fourth overall after Australia, England, and Egypt, to win the trophy.

India Wins Squash World Cup 2025: 
Event Overview: The Squash World Cup 2025 was a mixed-team event featuring 12 nations, held for the third consecutive time in Chennai, TN, and enhanced India’s prospects ahead of squash’s Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028, California, United States of America (USA).
Medal Tally: India (mixed team) won the gold medal, Hong Kong (China) secured the silver medal, while Egypt and Japan shared the bronze medal at the Squash World Cup 2025.
Match Summary: Joshna Chinappa beat Ka Yi Lee 3–1, Abhay Singh defeated Alex Lau 3–0, and Anahat Singh overcame Tomato Ho 3–0, securing an early clean sweep without the need for the final rubber.
Tournament Journey: India remained unbeaten throughout the tournament, defeating Switzerland and Brazil 4–0 in the group stage, South Africa 3–0 in the quarterfinals, Egypt 3–0 in the semifinals, and Hong Kong 3–0 in the final.
Key Contributors: Veteran Joshna Chinappa, top-ranked men’s player Abhay Singh, and teenage sensation Anahat Singh played decisive roles

OBITUARY

Veteran Congress Leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa Passed Away
On 14th December 2025, Veteran Indian National Congress (INC) leader and the country’s oldest serving Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), Shamanur Shivashankarappa, passed away at the age of 94 in Bengaluru, Karnataka. He was born on 16 June 1931 in Davanagere, Kingdom of Mysore, Karnataka.

About Shamanur Shivashankarappa:
Legacy: A noted educationist and industrialist, he founded several institutions through the Bapuji Educational Association in Davanagere and was widely respected across political parties for his integrity, leadership, and strong mass connect.
Political Beginnings: Entered public life through the Davanagere Municipal Council in 1969 and later served as its President from 1971 to 1973.
Party Leadership: Served as President of the Congress Chitradurga District Unit (1978–1980) and remained the long-serving Permanent Treasurer of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).
Legislative Journey: First elected as an MLA in 1994 at the age of 63 and went on to serve six terms from Davanagere and Davanagere South constituencies between 1994 and 2023, becoming the senior-most legislator in the Karnataka Assembly.
Parliamentary Role: Represented Davanagere in the Lok Sabha as a Member of Parliament from 1998 to 1999.
Ministerial Service: Served as Karnataka’s Minister for Horticulture and Agricultural Marketing in the Siddaramaiah-led government from 2013 to 2016.
Community Leadership: Served as President of the Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Lingayat Mahasabha (religious organisation) from 2012, playing a key role in unifying the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community and organising the Panchapeetha Mathadhisara Sammelan (meeting).

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Former Indian Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan Unveils Autobiography ‘The One: Cricket, My Life and More’
On December 14, 2025, former Indian Cricketer Shikhar Dhawan unveiled his autobiography titled “The One: Cricket, My Life and More”, published by HarperCollins India, at an event in New Delhi, Delhi.

About Autobiography: 
Overview: In his book, Shikhar Dhawan shared his early years and cricketing dreams, highs of international success, setbacks, personal life and relationships.
Career: He made his debut in One Day International (ODI) in 2010, Twenty-20 International(T20I) in 2011, and in Test matches in 2013. He is the highest run-scorer of the 2013 International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy. He is one of the fastest Indians to score 5,000 ODI runs.

• He played under various Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises such as Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Delhi Capitals(DC), and Punjab Kings(PBKS).

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Energy Conservation Day 2025– December 14National Energy Conservation Day (NECD) is annually observed across India on 14th December to promote energy saving and encourage adoption of efficient, sustainable energy practices.

• NECD is promoted by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power (MoP).

Background:
Introduction of NECD: In 1991, NECD was declared, and the National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) were launched to recognise industries and establishments that reduced energy consumption while sustaining efficiency and productivity.

• The NECA awards were conferred for the first time on 14 December 1991.

First NECD Observation: The inaugural NECD was also observed on 14 December 1991.
2025 Events:
Chief Guest: On 14 December 2025, the President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, attended the NECD 2025 celebrations at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi (Delhi) as the Chief Guest and felicitated the winners of the National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) 2025 and the National Painting Competition on Energy Conservation 2025.
National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) 2025: The 35th NECA award structure includes 28 subsectors across 7 broad categories( industries, transport, buildings, institutions, energy-efficient appliances, Innovation Awards for Professional, and Energy Conservation Professionals & Influencers), with a new category for Social Media Influencers and Digital Content Creators introduced to acknowledge their role in promoting energy conservation awareness.

• This year, the awards comprised 25 First Prizes, 5 Second Prizes, 26 Certificates of Merit (CoM), and 3 Certificates of Recognition (CoR) under the Innovation Awards category.

>>Read Full News

Vijay Diwas 2025 – December 16Vijay Diwas, or Victory Day (Bijoy Dibos), observed every year on 16 December across India and Bangladesh, to mark the historic victory of the Indian Armed Forces over Pakistan in the 1971 Indo-Pak war and pay tribute to the martyrs from both nations who sacrificed their lives during the conflict.

• The day marks the official surrender of the Pakistani Armed Forces to the combined Indian and Mukti Bahini (Bangladesh liberation forces) in Dhaka, Bangladesh, during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War.
• 16 December 2025 marks the observance of the 54th Vijay Diwas.

About the Indo-Pak War 1971:
Duration: The Indo-Pak War of 1971 was a 13-day military conflict between India and Pakistan, lasting from December 3 to December 16.
Cause: The war began due to India’s support for Bengali nationalist forces seeking independence in East Pakistan amidst a humanitarian crisis.
Surrender: The Eastern Command of the Pakistan military signed the Instrument of Surrender on December 16, 1971, in Dhaka (Bangladesh).
Leadership: The war victory was led by Prime Minister (PM) Indira Gandhi, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, and Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Aurora.
2025 Events:
Military Tattoo: On December 16, 2025, Headquarters Eastern Command commemorates the 54th Vijay Diwas with a grand Military Tattoo at the Mangal Pandey Training Area, Vijay Durg, in Kolkata, West Bengal (WB).
Painting Competition: On December 15, 2025, young schoolchildren in Agartala, Tripura, took part in a painting competition organized by the Indian Army at the Albert Ekka War Memorial to commemorate the 54th Vijay Diwas and promote patriotism and historical awareness.
>>Read Full News

STATE NEWS

Maharashtra Launched MahaCrimeOS AI for AI-Powered Cybercrime Investigation
In December 2025, Maharashtra became the first Indian state to launch MahaCrimeOS AI, an artificial intelligence (AI) platform unveiled at the Microsoft AI Tour in Mumbai, Maharashtra, to strengthen cybercrime investigations, support victims, accelerate justice delivery, and enhance digital safety across the state.

About Maharashtra’s MahaCrimeOS AI:
Foundation: The platform is built on Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service and Microsoft Foundry, leveraging advanced AI capabilities and secure cloud infrastructure.
Development: The platform was developed through a collaboration between,

• Maharashtra Government’s Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) Maharashtra Advanced Research and Vigilance for Enforcement of Reformed Laws Limited (MARVEL),
• Hyderabad (Telangana)-based cybersecurity startup CyberEye,
• Microsoft India Development Center (IDC).

Key Features: It enables instant digital case creation and multilingual data extraction, provides AI-assisted legal support via Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), and uses advanced analytics to link cases, analyze evidence, reduce manual workload, and streamline investigation workflows.
Rollout Vision: Initially piloted in 23 Nagpur police stations (Maharashtra), and planned to expand to all 1,100 stations across Maharashtra.
Rising Cybercrime: India reported over 3.6 million cybercrime incidents in 2024, as per the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.

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