Daily Insights December 16, 2025

Daily Insights December 16, 2025

1. SUSTAINABLE HARNESSING AND ADVANCEMENT OF NUCLEAR ENERGY FOR TRANSFORMING INDIA BILL, 2025

Context

India has achieved self-reliance across the nuclear fuel cycle through sustained research and development. The government now seeks to significantly enhance nuclear installed capacity to support clean energy security and provide reliable round-the-clock power for emerging needs such as data centres and future-ready applications.

About the News

• Introduced by: Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Science and Technology

• Date of Introduction: December 14, 2025 in Parliament

• Key Objective: Repeal the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010; replace with single comprehensive law

• Ministries Involved: Ministry of Science & Technology, Department of Atomic Energy

• Target: Achieve 100 GW nuclear power capacity by 2047 (India’s centenary of Independence)

• Current Capacity: 8,180 MW (as of January 30, 2025)

• Planned Expansion: 22,480 MW by 2031-32 through construction of 10 reactors (8,000 MW) across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh

• Private Sector Participation: Bill enables greater participation of both public and private sectors

• AERB Status: Grants statutory status to Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) for safety, safeguards, and emergency preparedness

• Climate Goals: Supports India’s decarbonisation roadmap by 2070 and net-zero commitments

• International Positioning: Positions India as contributor to global nuclear energy ecosystem

Source: Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Science & Technology

2. VIKSIT BHARAT SHIKSHA ADHISHTHAN BILL, 2025

Context

India’s higher education regulatory framework has been fragmented across multiple bodies, creating complexity and limiting institutional autonomy. The new bill seeks to establish unified regulation aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 vision.

About the News

• Introduced by: Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister for Education

• Date of Introduction: December 14-15, 2025 in Lok Sabha

• Cabinet Approval: December 12, 2025

• Purpose: Empower Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) to achieve excellence through effective coordination and determination of standards

• Apex Body: Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan (established as supreme regulator)

• Three Independent Councils:

  • Viksit Bharat Shiksha Viniyaman Parishad (Regulatory Council)

  • Viksit Bharat Shiksha Gunvatta Parishad (Accreditation Council)

  • Viksit Bharat Shiksha Manak Parishad (Standards Council)

• Acts Repealed: University Grants Commission (UGC) Act 1956, All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) Act 1987, National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) Act 1993

• Key Features: Single-window faceless system, public disclosure of governance/finances/programs, technology-driven regulation

• Institutions of National Importance: Continue existing autonomy levels; Council of Architecture functions as Professional Standard Setting Body

• Regulatory Framework: Trust-based regulation and self-disclosure principles; reduced compliance burden

• Constitutional Authority: Entry 66 of Union List (coordination and determination of standards in higher education)

• Focus Areas: Academic autonomy, multidisciplinary education, research excellence, global competitiveness with Indian values

Source: Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Education

3. PROJECT MAUSAM: MARITIME HERITAGE AND CULTURAL COOPERATION

Context

Project Mausam, derived from the Arabic word for seasonal monsoon winds, represents India’s initiative to revive historical maritime ties across the Indian Ocean Region. This vast region has served as a hub of commercial and cultural exchanges for over 5,000 years.

About the News

• Administrator: Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), Ministry of Culture

• Launched: UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee 38th Session, Doha, Qatar (2014)

• National Workshop Date: November 18-19, 2025

• Workshop Location: Humayun’s Tomb World Heritage Site Museum, New Delhi

• Chief Guest: Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Hon’ble Minister of Culture

• Thematic Focus: “Islands at the Crossroads of Maritime Networks within Indian Ocean Region”

• Geographic Scope: Red Sea-Indian Ocean Region spanning Africa, Arabia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia

• Historical Span: 5,000+ years of cultural and commercial exchange

• Heritage Categories Covered:

  • Tangible heritage (archaeological remains, art objects, historic landscapes)

  • Intangible heritage (languages, scripts, medical traditions, festivals, dress, cuisine)

• Key Objectives: Explore Transnational World Heritage Nomination proposals, enhance bilateral/multilateral cooperation in heritage conservation, capacity-building, documentation

• Publications Launched: “Jaladhipurayatra” and Thematic Study Framework Document

• Participating Institutions: Ministry of External Affairs, National Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Ports Shipping & Waterways, IGNCA, Wildlife Institute of India, UNESCO Regional Office, ICOMOS India

Source: Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Culture

4. ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK AND INDIA’S ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP

Context

India’s engagement with the Asian Development Bank represents its commitment to regional development and economic cooperation in Asia-Pacific region, addressing infrastructure gaps and sustainable development challenges.

About the News

• Relevance: December 2025 updates on ADB’s role in India’s development agenda

• Focus Areas: Infrastructure development, sustainable financing, regional connectivity

• Key Sectors: Water resources, energy, transportation, urban development

• India’s Status: Key ADB member and borrower nation

• Bilateral Framework: Partnership on climate resilience, green infrastructure, poverty reduction

• Recent Initiatives: ADB support for various state-level development projects

• Financial Assistance: Concessional loans and grants for priority sectors

• Capacity Building: Technical assistance for institutional strengthening

• Coordination: Ministry of Finance (Department of Economic Affairs)

Source: Multiple official announcements and ADB reports

5. INTERLINKING OF RIVERS (ILR) PROJECT

Context

India’s National Perspective Plan (NPP) for Inter-Linking of Rivers aims to transfer water from surplus basins to deficit regions, mitigating flood and drought impacts while supporting agricultural and industrial water needs.

About the News

• Implementing Agency: National Water Development Agency (NWDA)

• Total Projects Identified: 30 ILR projects

• Components:

  • Himalayan Component: 14 link projects

  • Peninsular Component: 16 link projects

• Status (July 2025):

  • Pre-Feasibility Reports (PFRs): All 30 projects completed

  • Feasibility Reports (FRs): 26 projects completed

  • Detailed Project Reports (DPRs): 11 projects completed

• First Implementation Project: Ken-Betwa Link Project (KBLP)

  • States: Uttar Pradesh & Madhya Pradesh

  • Estimated Cost: Rs. 44,605 crore (2020-21 price level)

  • Central Support: Rs. 39,317 crore through Ken Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA)

  • Main Component: Daudhan Dam (work awarded)

  • Beneficiary Districts: Panna, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Damoh, Datia, Vidisha, Shivpur, Raisen, Banda, Mahoba, Jhansi, Lalitpur

• Benefits:

  • Irrigate 2.8 lakh hectares of agricultural land

  • Provide drinking water to water-scarce regions

  • Recharge groundwater and improve ecological balance

  • Support industrial and urban water needs

• Expenditure KBLP: Rs. 3,969.79 crore over last 3 financial years

Source: Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Jal Shakti

6. FINANCE COMMISSION AND FISCAL FEDERALISM

Context

The 15th Finance Commission and emerging 16th Finance Commission framework guide India’s fiscal distribution between Union and States, critical for federal development planning and resource allocation.

About the News

• 15th Finance Commission Period: FY 2020-21 to 2025-26

• 16th Finance Commission: Recently constituted with Dr. Arvind Panagariya as Chairman

• 16th FC Report Submission: November 17, 2025 to the President

• Financial Allocation (15th FC):

  • Rural Local Bodies: Rs. 21,611 crores allocated to West Bengal

  • Kerala RLBs: Rs. 260.20 crores released for FY 2025-26 (First Instalment)

• RLB Coverage: District Panchayats, Block Panchayats, Gram Panchayats

• Grant Types: Untied Grants for felt needs under 29 subjects in Eleventh Schedule

• Release Mechanism: Two installments per financial year through Ministry of Panchayati Raj and Ministry of Jal Shakti

• Constitutional Framework: Article 280 (Finance Commission constitution), Article 275 (grants-in-aid)

• Previous Commissions: 15 Finance Commissions since independence

• Key Functions: Distribution of tax proceeds, grants-in-aid principles, resource augmentation for local bodies

• Current Focus: 16th FC emphasizes efficiency, equity, and sustainability in fiscal distribution

Source: Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Finance

7. INDIA’S GREEN MARITIME ODYSSEY

Context

India is pioneering green shipping initiatives to grow its maritime economy while minimizing pollution along its 7,500-km coastline, integrating sustainable practices across ports, shipping, and maritime infrastructure.

About the News

• Frameworks:

  • Maritime India Vision 2030

  • Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047

• Ministries Involved: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW)

• Minister Leading: Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways

• Key Initiatives:

  • National Green Hydrogen Mission: Target 5 million tonnes green hydrogen by 2030

    • Investment Target: Rs. 8 lakh crore

    • Job Creation: ~6 lakh jobs

    • Fossil Fuel Import Reduction: Rs. 1 lakh crore

  • Maritime India Vision 2030: Rs. 3-3.5 lakh crore investment across ports, shipping, inland waterways

  • Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047: Rs. 80 lakh crore long-term investment

  • Sagarmala Programme: 840 projects worth Rs. 5.8 lakh crore (by 2035); 272 projects completed

  • Harit Sagar Green Port Guidelines (2023): Emission reduction, sustainable materials, carbon neutrality

  • Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP): Shift harbour tugs to clean fuels with 30% financial support

  • First All-Electric Green Tug: Delivered to Deendayal Port, Gujarat (December 2025)

  • Harit Nauka Guidelines: Green technology adoption for inland vessels

  • Green Shipping Corridor: Kandla-Tuticorin coastal green corridor with Shipping Corporation of India

  • Maritime Development Fund: Rs. 25,000 crore for green investments

  • Indian Ports Act 2025: Replaced colonial framework with modern green norms

• Global Standards: Adoption of IMO 2023 Revised GHG Strategy

• Clean Fuel Focus: Green hydrogen, ammonia, biofuels, LNG

• International Partnerships: MoUs with Denmark and Norway

Source: The Week and Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways

8. RESTORING THE ‘MENACE’ OF UNFETTERED DISCRETION (Constitutional Law)

Context

Two landmark Supreme Court decisions on gubernatorial powers reveal conflicting approaches to federalism and democratic accountability. The April 2025 verdict imposed timelines on Governors, but a subsequent advisory opinion diluted these safeguards, reigniting concerns about executive overreach and constitutional balance.

About the News

• Issue: Gubernatorial assent to State legislation and their powers under Article 200

• Key Supreme Court Judgments:

  1. State of Tamil Nadu vs Governor of Tamil Nadu (April 2025)

     • Imposed definitive timelines on Governors

     • Recognized deemed assent as judicial remedy

     • Limited prolonged silence and obstruction

     • Affirmed legislative supremacy and democratic accountability

  2. Special Reference No. 1 of 2025

     • Reversed April verdict direction

     • Rejected judicially imposed timelines and deemed assent

     • Endorsed broad discretionary powers for Governors and President

     • Legitimized delays in assent

• Constitutional Provisions: Article 200 (Governor’s assent), First Proviso to Article 200 (re-enacted bills)

• Central Issue: Balance between executive discretion and legislative supremacy

• Implications:

  • Renewed gubernatorial obstruction powers

  • Weakened state legislative authority

  • Tilt towards Union dominance in Centre-State relations

  • Bills subject to indefinite stalling

• Concept of “Constitutional Dialogue”: Undermined by strategic silence converting dialogue into deadlock

• Impact on Federalism: Marks constitutional retrogression, normalizing legislative paralysis

• Principle Abandoned: “What cannot be done directly cannot be done indirectly”

Source: The Hindu Editorial Analysis

9. THE OMAN VISIT IS MORE THAN A ROUTINE DIPLOMATIC TRIP

Context

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Oman marks a milestone in India’s West Asia strategy, coinciding with 70 years of diplomatic relations and addressing regional uncertainties through a strategically balanced partnership rooted in mutual trust.

About the News

• Visit Dates: December 17-18, 2025 (Part of three-nation tour: Jordan Dec 15-16, Ethiopia Dec 16-17, Oman Dec 17-18)

• Occasion: 70th Anniversary of India-Oman diplomatic relations

• Oman’s Role: Balancing partner in conflict-prone West Asia; policy of neutrality, mediation, moderation

• Strategic Importance: India’s oldest and most trusted Gulf partnership

• Key Bilateral Agreements:

  • Strategic Partnership Agreement (2008)

  • Military Cooperation MoU (2005)

  • Central Bank-NPCI payment linkage (2022): RuPay debit card in Oman

  • Duqm Port logistics agreement (2018)

  • Oman-India Joint Investment Fund (OIJIF): ~$600 million investment

• Bilateral Trade: $10.6 billion (FY 2024-25)

• Omani FDI into India: $605.57 million (since 2000)

• Defence Cooperation:

  • Joint exercises involving all three services

  • Naval ships for anti-piracy missions (since 2012-13)

  • Counterterrorism and maritime security cooperation

• Expected Outcomes:

  • India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signing

  • Green hydrogen and renewable energy cooperation

  • Defence: Joint production facilities, Tejas aircraft, naval vessels

  • India-Middle-East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) discussions

  • Education: IIT and IIM offshore campuses proposed

• Regional Context: Fragile peace post-Gaza ceasefire, energy transitions, tariff tensions, evolving connectivity corridors

• Significance: Affirms India’s autonomous strategic positioning amid global polarization

Source: The Hindu Editorial Analysis

10. MISSION FOOD, FODDER, AND WATER (FFW) PROJECT

Context

The Mission Food, Fodder, and Water represents a multi-phase intervention to improve wildlife habitat and ensure availability of resources for wild animals during drought periods, directly reducing human-wildlife conflict in forest-fringe areas.

About the News

• Implementing State: Kerala (primary implementation; also applicable in other states)

• Forest Department: Primary implementing agency

• Project Duration: January-May (focused on summer season when food scarcity peaks)

• Objective: Mitigate human-wildlife conflict by ensuring food and water availability within forests

• Three-Phase Implementation:

  • Phase 1 (January-March): Information collection

    • Forest area mapping

    • Pond and stream identification

    • Meadow and open forest area documentation

    • Truck route surveys

  • Phase 2 (January-April): Infrastructure construction

    • Brushwood check dams in seasonal streams

    • Pond and dam cleaning

    • Water conservation through new pond/concrete tank construction

  • Phase 3 (May 1 onwards): Monitoring and management

    • Checkdam design to allow fish movement

    • Invasive plant removal before flowering

    • Fodder protection in grasslands and open areas

• Target Duration Completion: April 30

• Grassland Management: Mapping and protection of all grasslands/open areas for herbivore fodder

• Water Infrastructure: Shallow concrete tanks in waterhole-deficient areas

• Ecological Consideration: Preservation of fish species breeding migration patterns

• Success Indicator: Reduction in human-wildlife incidents in forest-fringe villages

Source: Kerala Forest Department Official Announcement

12. HIMALAYAN BLACK BEARS: CLIMATE CHANGE AND BEHAVIORAL SHIFTS

Context

Himalayan black bears, traditionally hibernating for 3-5 months, are experiencing disrupted hibernation patterns due to rising temperatures and changing food availability, leading to increased human-wildlife conflicts and unprecedented “shoot-at-sight” orders in some states.

About the News

• Geographic Distribution: Himalayan forests (Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir)

• Recent Development: Uttarakhand Forest Department issued first-ever “shoot-at-sight” orders in Pauri district

• Attack Statistics: 71 bear attacks recorded (context period)

• Primary Cause: Changing temperatures affecting hibernation cycles

• Key Research Organization: Wildlife Institute of India (WII) research on hibernation patterns

• Scientific Finding Lead: S. Sathyakumar, Scientist, WII

• Hibernation Pattern Changes:

  • Reduced hibernation duration (from traditional 3-5 months)

  • Frequent waking periods during winter

  • Some bears not entering full hibernation

  • Waking 30-50 days earlier than normal

• Climate Change Impact:

  • Decreasing snowfall in Himalayan regions

  • Less intense cold periods

  • Shortened hibernation season for bears in colder regions

• Food Availability Crisis:

  • Irregular seasonal cycles affecting natural bear food sources

  • Reduced acorns, nuts, forest fruits, and vegetation

  • Bears waking early to search for food

  • Increased reliance on anthropogenic food sources (garbage dumps)

• Behavioral Adaptation:

  • Bears remaining active during winter

  • Greater frequency of forest edge visits

  • Feeding near garbage in human settlements

  • Increased aggressive encounters

• Bear Physiology Note: Himalayan black bears have shorter, lighter hibernation compared to polar bears

• Regional Pattern: Shoot-at-sight orders indicate policy shift toward lethal control

• Recommended Solutions: Landscape conservation planning, community-based conflict mitigation, early warning systems, crop insurance schemes, stronger anti-poaching surveillance, cross-border cooperation

Source: Down to Earth and Wildlife Institute of India