International Human Solidarity Day (20 December) is an opportunity to reaffirm a simple truth: our shared future depends on how well we act together. Solidarity is woven through the United Nations Charter and the Organization’s daily work - uniting countries and communities to advance peace, human rights, and social and economic development.
Solidarity was identified in the United Nations Millennium Declaration as one of the fundamental values of international relations in the 21st century. In a world shaped by globalization and widening inequalities, strengthening international solidarity remains indispensable.
In 2005, the General Assembly affirmed solidarity as a fundamental and universal value that should underlie relations among peoples, and proclaimed 20 December of each year as International Human Solidarity Day. In 2002, the General Assembly established the World Solidarity Fund to eradicate poverty and promote human and social development later set up as a trust fund UNDP.
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) launched Good Governance Week 2025, to be observed from December 19 to 25, with Secretary, DARPG, Rachna Shah releasing the guidelines for the nationwide ‘Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore’ campaign.
The ‘Prashasan Gaon Ki Ore’ initiative continues to form the core of the Good Governance Week campaign, placing district administrations at the forefront of grievance redressal and public service delivery. As per the guidelines, district collectors across the country will organise special camps at tehsil, block and panchayat levels.
The campaign is being implemented in two phases - a preparatory phase from December 11 to 18, followed by the implementation phase during Good Governance Week from December 19 to 25. As the next stage of the campaign, district-level dissemination workshops will be organised in all districts on December 23, 2025.
These workshops will focus on discussions around District @100, presentation of at least three good governance initiatives implemented in the last five years, and interaction with citizens, academics and district-level officers.
The Winter Session, 2025 of Parliament, which commenced on Monday, the 1st of December, 2025, has been adjourned sine die on 19th of December, 2025. The Session provided 15 sittings spread over 19 days. During the Session, 10 Bills were introduced in Lok Sabha and 8 Bills were passed by Lok Sabha and 8 Bills were also passed by Rajya Sabha.
A Special discussion on the 150th Anniversary of the National Song “Vande Mataram” was held in the Lok Sabha on 8th December and in the Rajya Sabha on 9th, 10th, and 11th December 2025. The Prime Minister initiated the discussion in the Lok Sabha. 65 Members participated, which engaged the House for 11 Hours 32 Minutes.
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) is implementing National Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Hub (NSSH) Scheme to promote entrepreneurship amongst the SCs/STs and to fulfill the mandated 4% of procurement from SC/ST MSEs under the Public Procurement Policy for Micro and Small Enterprises, Government of India.
The Scheme has undertaken several initiatives to provide support which include capacity building programmes; market linkage programmes, organization of Special Vendor Development programmes, workshops/awareness programmes, subsidy on purchase of plant & machinery/equipment, financial assistance for registration under Single Point Registration Scheme.
Under ‘Special Marketing Assistance Scheme’ component of the NSSH Scheme, SC/ST entrepreneurs are facilitated to participate in domestic and international exhibitions to strengthen and develop their capacities to participate in public procurement. 3,929 SC/ST entrepreneurs at a cost of Rs. 36.41 crore were facilitated for participation in domestic exhibitions during 7 year.
To spread awareness about various benefits available under NSSH Scheme; Conclaves, Special Vendor Development Programmes (SVDPs) and awareness workshops are being organized at various locations in the country. The scheme also actively uses social media platforms for wider dissemination, particularly focusing on the intended audience.
In a significant boost to India’s agricultural exports, 3 metric tonnes (MTs) of GI-tagged Indi Lime from Vijayapura district of Karnataka were exported to Oman on 19 December 2025, marking the entry of this unique citrus fruit into another global market.
As part of market diversification efforts, another flag-off for the export of 350 kg of GI-tagged Indi Lime to the United Kingdom was also undertaken. So far, a cumulative quantity of nearly 12.35 MTs of Indi Lime has been exported from Vijayapura district.
The export of Indi Lime to Oman assumes added significance in light of the recently signed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) / Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and Oman, which aims to deepen bilateral economic ties and expand market access for Indian exporters.
India and the Netherlands today announced the establishment of the India–Netherlands Joint Trade and Investment Committee (JTIC) through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking an important milestone in further strengthening bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation between the two countries.
The MoU provides for establishment of the JTIC, a formal institutional framework for regular dialogue and cooperation on trade and investment matters. The JTIC will serve as a dedicated mechanism to review bilateral trade relations, promote two-way investments, address investment and trade barriers, and explore collaboration in sectors of mutual interest.
Under the MoU, the JTIC will meet annually, alternately in India and the Netherlands, ensuring continuity and sustained engagement at the institutional level.
Piramal Finance Ltd has announced that it has entered into an agreement with Sanlam Emerging Markets (Mauritius) Ltd (SEMM), an entity of the Sanlam Group, to sell its entire 14.72% equity stake in Shriram Life Insurance (SLI) for about Rs. 600 crore. The transaction is expected to close in the quarter ending March 31, 2026, subject to requisite regulatory approvals.
SEMM, incorporated in Mauritius, is a 100% subsidiary of Sanlam Emerging Markets Pty (Ltd) and is part of the Sanlam Group. The Sanlam Group is a leading pan-African financial services group headquartered in South Africa, with operations in over 30 countries, including key emerging market economies such as India.
The Reserve Bank on Friday has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 61.95 lakh on Kotak Mahindra Bank for non-compliance of norms related to basic savings bank deposit (BSBD) account, business correspondents, and credit information companies. The penalty was imposed in an order dated December 11, 2025.
According to the RBI, the fine was slapped for non-compliance with certain directions issued by the RBI on 'Access to Banking Services - Basic Savings Bank Deposit Account' and 'Scope of activities to be undertaken of Business Correspondents (BCs)' and contravention of provisions of Credit Information Companies Rules, 2006 (CIC Rules).
The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) Central Board of Directors approved the risk-based deposit insurance framework for banks. This comes in the wake of RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra’s observations in his October 2025 ‘Statement on Developmental and Regulatory Policies’, that while the existing system is simple to understand and administer.
At present, the deposit insurance coverage is limited to Rs. 5 lakh per depositor of each insured bank. Deposit insurance cover increased from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh with effect from February 4, 2020. Banks are charged a premium of 12 paise per Rs. 100 of assessable deposits.
According to bankers, sound banks may be charged lesser deposit insurance premium by DICGC, while the not-so-sound banks may continue to be charged 12 paise/Rs.100 of deposit. There is also a possibility of the not-so-sound banks being charged 15 paise/₹100 of deposit. The DICGC, under the DICGC Act, 1961, has been operating the deposit insurance scheme since 1962 on a flat
According to the amendment to Section 15 (1) of the DICGC (Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation) Act made in August 2021, the Corporation can raise the limit of 15 paise per ₹100 of deposits on insurance premium with the prior approval of RBI, considering its financial position and the interests of the banking sector in the country as a whole.
Armenia has unveiled the logo for the 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity. At its centre is Polyommatus eriwanensis, a blue butterfly found only in and around Yerevan. The emblem appears alongside the slogan “Taking action for nature”, signalling the conference’s focus on moving from commitments to implementation.
COP17, scheduled for October 2026, will host the first global review of how countries are implementing the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The framework has 23 targets, from protecting habitats to reforming subsidies that harm biodiversity. The logo uses 23 blended colours, reflecting the idea that progress on one target depends on action across all.
The 11th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) will be hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the city of Riyadh on 14-15 December 2025 under the overarching theme, “UNAOC: Two Decades of Dialogue for Humanity — Advancing a New Era of Mutual Respect and Understanding in a Multipolar World”.
As UNAOC enters its third decade, the Forum will serve as an opportune occasion to commemorate the 20th anniversary of UNAOC and to chart its future course in the pursuit of lasting peace.”
Manila-based the Asian Development Bank (ADB) committed USD 4.258 billion in sovereign lending to India in 2025, supporting projects that strengthen the country's skill ecosystem, accelerate renewable energy deployment, transform urban infrastructure, expand metro networks, improve healthcare services, and promote ecotourism.
Nearly 32 percent of ADB's 16 newly committed projects focus on the human and social development sector, followed by 26 percent in the energy sector -- primarily advancing renewable energy -- and over 18 percent in urban development. ADB is also providing USD 650 million to support PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, a national program aimed at expanding rooftop solar adoption
Other major initiatives included a USD 460-million loan to Maharashtra to modernise rural power infrastructure and improve solar electricity for irrigation; USD 398.8 million loan to Assam to help modernise its healthcare and medical education systems and over USD 200 million in loans to Meghalaya and Uttarakhand for ecotourism development.
ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members -- 50 from the region.
