Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to visit India on December 5 for the 23rd India-Russia Summit. This will mark his first trip to New Delhi since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began in February 2022. Putin’s visit to India comes amidst New Delhi’s strained relationship with Washington, caused by Trump’s tariff war. The high-level visit was first discussed during National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval’s trip to Moscow in August, although the dates had not been finalised at the time.
US government shuts down
For the first time since 2018, the US government officially shut down after senators disagreed on a last-minute funding bill. The Democrats blocked a Republican stopgap funding package that didn't address their demands. As part of the measure, the government funding expired at midnight. The shutdown is likely to bring some, but not all, US government services to a temporary halt.
TVK’s Vijay halts rallies
Actor-turned-politician Vijay temporarily halted campaigning activities and political rallies for two weeks, following the Karur stampede deaths. At least 41 people were killed and several injured after a stampede occurred during Vijay's public event on September 27. Overcrowding and lack of basic facilities like food and water were allegedly some of the reasons that led to the stampede.
RBI keeps repo rate unchanged
The Reserve Bank of India kept its key repo rate unchanged at 5.5% in its monetary policy meeting on October 1st. The decision was in line with the market expectations, as RBI evaluates the impact of earlier rate cuts and recent tax reductions amid global trade uncertainties.The central bank had cut the repo rate by a total of 100 basis points in the first half of 2025, but paused at its previous meeting in August.
