NEWS 04-12-2025. News For 5th-Dec (Friday) *International News:* 1. India has been re-elected to International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council with highest votes. India secured 154 out of 169 valid votes — the highest in its category — to remain on the IMO Council for the 2026-27 term, reinforcing India’s growing global influence in maritime trade, shipping governance and blue-economy diplomacy. 2. Amid renewed diplomatic efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine, Putin declared Russia is prepared to fight Europe if provoked — a statement underlining the fragile global security situation and the challenges for peace and stability in Europe and beyond. *National News:* 1. UPI recorded more than 19 billion transactions totaling ?24.58 lakh crore in Nov '25, marking a 23 % year-on-year rise. This reflects deepening digital payment adoption across urban and rural India. 2. Reciprocal Exchange of Logistic Support (RELOS) between India and Russia gets ratified ahead of the Russian President’s India visit. The Russian parliament ratified the RELOS pact on 2 December 2025, enabling mutual use of military facilities, ports and airspace — a move likely to strengthen India-Russia defence cooperation and strategic logistics flexibility. 3. India has recorded historic foodgrain output — 357 million tonnes in 2025. This is an additional 100 million tonnes over the last 10 years. *Defence News:* 1. The upcoming summit between Russian President Putin and Indian leadership on 4th Dec '25 is expected to cover advanced deals: procurement of additional air-defence systems like S-400 Triumf (or upgrades), possible orders for fifth-generation jets like Su-57, and expansion of missile-system/missile-tech cooperation including missile family BrahMos missile. 2. On 2 Dec 2025, DRDO successfully conducted a high-speed “rocket-sled” test of a combat aircraft ejection system at 800 km/h, demonstrating India’s growing capability in indigenous defence-technology development and improving pilot safety for high-speed jets. 3. The Indian Ministry of Defence has signed a ?1,207 crore contract with a shipyard for dry-docking and refit of INS Vikramaditya, ensuring its combat readiness and continued role as a key asset in India’s maritime deterrence and power-projection capabilities. *Sports News:* 1. The Indian under-17 football team beat Iran 2-1 at Ahmedabad, thus securing a berth for the 2026 AFC U-17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. < < Back