In order to establish the profession as a viable career path and bolster India’s domestic cyber resilience, the government has announced a historic Cyber Security Innovation Challenge (CSIC) 1.0 for students and academics to work on real-world cyber challenges.

The program, which was started as part of MeitY’s Information Security Education and Awareness (ISEA) project, aims to develop qualified experts, promote cyber security as a viable career path, and stimulate domestic, product-focused solutions.

The necessity of a two-pronged national cyber security strategy—increasing awareness of new threats while bolstering technological capabilities—was emphasized by IT Secretary S. Krishnan. He emphasized that these imperatives are addressed by CSIC 1.0.

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s idea of a “whole-of-government” strategy, Krishnan stated that cyber security necessitates a “whole-of-nation” approach.

Recognizing the cooperative presence of MeitY, CERT-In, NSCS, AICTE, C-DAC, DSCI, and academic and industry leaders, he emphasized the significance of fostering successful concepts past the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage and establishing avenues for them to develop into scalable solutions through partnerships with startups and business partners.

The CEO of the Data Security Council of India, Vinayak Godse, gave an interesting overview of the comprehensive problem statements and five-stage structure of CSIC 1.0, which were created after months of rigorous discussion between DSCI, C-DAC, and the ISEA team.

He emphasized that this unique program allows researchers and students to create and cultivate entrepreneurial mindsets from the outset.

According to Professor V Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, the ISEA Project’s innovation challenge demonstrates our improved comprehension of fundamental problems and puts us in a position to provide revolutionary solutions.

The ten domain-specific problem statements emphasize areas that need for new and creative thinking and are in line with the country’s cyber security demands.

The Director General of CERT-In, Dr. Sanjay Bahl, emphasized the vital role ISEA plays in promoting innovation that changes the paradigm from reactive defense to proactive security.

He pointed out that the Innovation Challenge establishes a crucial platform that unites R&D, academia, and industry, with academic institutions’ innovations intended to be commercialized as deployable products.

Veteran actor Dharmendra passed away at the aga of 89 today. On December 8, the celebrity would have turned 90.

After demonstrating improvement, the actor, who had previously been hospitalized to the Breach Candy Hospital in South Mumbai, was released. But while condolences flowed in from all throughout the business, the actor left for paradise.

According to reports, the actor had respiratory issues and was placed on a ventilator. Members of the fraternity paid him their final tributes when word got out in Bollywood circles.

Hema Malini, the late actor’s wife, told the media a few weeks ago that he was fine at a previous medical visit. The actor and his first wife, Prakash Kaur, used to reside in his property in Khandala. The actor moved to the town because the maximum city’s pollution levels were getting worse.

One of Bollywood’s most enduring and cherished stars was Dharmendra. Born in Punjab in 1935, he started his career in the early 1960s after winning a talent hunt. To uncover fresh faces for Hindi cinema, Filmfare magazine and Bimal Roy Productions held a national talent competition in the late 1950s.

Due to his attractive appearance and innate charisma, he entered the competition and was picked as the 1958 winner. His entry into the film industry was made possible by this triumph. One of the biggest stars in Hindi film, Rajesh Khanna, was later found through the same talent search.

Dharmendra became well-known very fast thanks to his endearing appearance, nuanced emotions, and smooth on-screen persona. He was able to succeed in humor, action, and romance due to his adaptability. Among his most famous movies are “Phool Aur Patthar,” which made him a starring man, and “Sholay,” in which he played the endearing, humorous Veeru, a role that became legendary.

Ankhen, Shikar, Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke, Jeevan Mrityu, Mera Gaon Mera Desh, Seeta Aur Geeta, Raja Jani, Jugnu, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Charas, Dharam Veer, Chacha Bhatija, Ghulami, Hukumat, Aag Hi Aag, Elaan-E-Jung, Tahalka, Anpadh, Bandini, Haqeeqat, Anupama, Mamta, Majhli Didi, Satyakam, Naya Zamana, Samadhi, Resham Ki Dori, The Burning Train, Ghazab, Do Dishayen, and Hathyar.

He played supporting parts in a number of popular and well-received movies in the late 1990s, including Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya, Life in a… Metro, Apne, Johnny Gaddaar, Yamla Pagla Deewana, Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, and Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya.

Action-packed dramas like “Yaadon Ki Baaraat” cemented his reputation as the archetypal Bollywood hero, while “Chupke Chupke” showcased his flawless comic timing. Dharmendra’s charisma and humility have made him a beloved character both on and off screen, even outside of his film career.

Regarding his career, Dharmendra last appeared in the 2024 film Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya. Actors Kriti Sanon and Shahid Kapoor starred in the film. The actor will next appear in the film “Ikkis,” which is helmed by renowned director Sriram Raghavan.

Agastya Nanda and Simar Bhatia appear in the film. The youngest recipient of the Param Vir Chakra, Arun Khetarpal, is the subject of this military drama film.

Jaideep Ahlawat and Sikandar Kher have significant roles in the movie, which is scheduled for release in December.

Dharmendra received the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian honor.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the need for a just and equitable future driven by technology that is open-source, global, and human-centric rather than exclusive and focused on finance at the G20 Summit‘s third session in Johannesburg.

Citing widespread involvement in digital payments, space technology, and artificial intelligence (AI), he emphasized India’s open approach to technology.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday called for a worldwide compact based on the principles of openness, human oversight, safety-by-design, and prevention of misuse, emphasizing that AI must convert into global benefit.

Speaking at the G20 Summit’s third session on “A Fair and a Just Future for All – Critical Minerals; Decent Work; Artificial Intelligence,” the Prime Minister emphasized that although AI should enhance human capacities, humans should ultimately make the final choice.

Such technology applications, he pointed out, need to be “human-centric” as opposed to “finance-centric,” “global” as opposed to “national,” and built on “open source” as opposed to “exclusive models.”

According to PM Modi, India is now a global leader in space applications, artificial intelligence, and digital payments thanks to the integration of this vision into the country’s technology ecosystem.

The Prime Minister described India’s strategy for AI, emphasizing responsible deployment, equitable access, and population-level skilling.

He pointed out that in order to guarantee that everyone in the nation benefits from AI, accessible high-performance computing capacity is being constructed under the India-AI Mission.

He asked all G20 nations to participate in the AI Impact Summit, which India will organize in February 2026 with the theme “Sarvajanam Hitaya, Sarvajanam Sukhaya” (Welfare for all, Happiness for all).

PM Modi emphasized that we must quickly change our focus from “Jobs of Today” to “Capabilities of Tomorrow” in the era of artificial intelligence.

He suggested that the group create a worldwide framework for talent mobility in the upcoming years, citing the advancements made in this area during the G20 Summit in New Delhi.

The Prime Minister closed by outlining India’s message and dedication to the welfare of the world. He said, “India stands for sustainable development, trustworthy trade, equitable finance, and progress in which everyone thrives.“

The producers of H Vinoth’s action movie “Jana Nayagan,” which coincidentally will be actor Vijay’s final picture, revealed that the audio for the movie will be released in Malaysia on December 27 of this year.

The eagerly anticipated ceremony, which will officially take place at Kuala Lumpur’s Bukit Jalil Stadium, will mark Vijay’s three-year comeback to Malaysia.

One of the co-producers of “Jana Nayagan,” Jagadish Palanisamy, wrote a heartfelt message on the occasion. He wrote, “From the days I sat starstruck in the crowd at the ‘Nanban’ audio launch, to working on countless audio launches for you, and now building up to your #OneLastDance – ‘Jananayagan’ audio launch… this journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. After three years, the moment we’ve all held so close to our hearts is finally here. For me – and for everyone else – this is more than an audio launch. It’s an emotion. Thank you, anna. Malaysia… see you soon. #JanaNayaganAudioLaunch”

The creators released a masterfully produced video montage to create suspense, and it immediately touched fans’ hearts. From “Khushi” and “Ghilli” to “Sachein,” “Pokiri,” “Vettaikaran,” “Thuppakki,” “Theri,” “Mersal,” “Bigil,” “Master,” and “Leo,” the montage explores some of Vijay’s most memorable on-screen moments.

In the video, Malaysian admirers share intimate tales about how much Vijay means to them, which heightens the mood. “Who won’t like Anna?” one admirer said, remembering how much they had loved him since they were young. He was said to as a lifelong source of inspiration by another. A young woman poignantly disclosed that she has no family and views Vijay as her brother, attributing her ability to get through her most trying times to his comments. Everyone is excited about the audio release, and many have expressed a desire to see him in person and hear him narrate a live “Kutty Story.”

Bobby Deol, Pooja Hegde, Mamitha Baiju, Prakash Raj, and Gautham Vasudev Menon are among the strong ensemble cast members of H. Vinoth’s “Jana Nayagan.”

Venkat K. Narayana under KVN Productions produced the movie, is scheduled to be released worldwide on January 9, 2026, right before Pongal.

Importantly, “Jana Nayagan” is the last chapter in Thalapathy Vijay’s remarkable film career, hence this audio release is not just a celebration but also a historic occasion for fans all over the world.

Google, a key player in the technology industry, presented a comprehensive safety-first roadmap for India that prioritizes the protection of children, teenagers, and senior citizens.

To make AI safer and more accessible for consumers, the US tech giant introduced text watermarking, on-device real-time anti-scam technologies, and digital literacy initiatives.

According to the company’s statement, Scam Detection, powered by Gemini Nano, will be implemented on Pixel phones to analyze calls in real time and identify possible frauds completely on-device, without recording audio, transcripts, or sharing data with Google.

It further stated that the Scam Detection feature is off by default, only applies to calls from unknown numbers (not saved contacts), beeps to alert participants, and may be disabled by the user.

Additionally, Google said that it is providing the SynthID text watermarking tool as an open-source part of its Responsible GenAI Toolkit and expanding the availability of SynthID Detector. Partners can recognize AI-generated photos and sounds thanks to the watermarking technique.

Additionally, it announced a $2 lakh grant to the CyberPeace Foundation in India to support capacity building and provide AI-driven cyber-defense tools to combat fraud and scams, improve responsible governance in line with the IndiaAI Mission, and create safer digital learning environments for kids and teenagers.

The US corporation said that it would donate $1 million to five of the top think tanks and universities in Asia-Pacific (APAC) to carry out crucial research and promote insightful discussion on the potential and difficulties of AI.

Evan Kotsovinos, Vice President, Privacy, Safety, and Security at Google, stated, “We are building AI systems in India, where the digital economy is booming, to keep user trust intact as India transitions to AI.”

Preeti Lobana, Country Manager at Google India, stated, “We are taking a 360-degree approach to safety, combining on-product and on-Cloud protections, digital literacy to empower users with knowledge and awareness.“

The 7th Meeting of the National Security Advisors (NSAs) of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on Thursday.

NSA Ajit Doval will host his colleagues from Bangladesh, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, among other member states. Malaysia has been invited as a guest, and the Seychelles will take part as an observer state.

According to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), “the CSC was formed to promote closer cooperation between Member States on vital matters of security and to strengthen partnership for enhancing regional security in the Indian Ocean region.”

According to the ministry, the 7th Meeting of the NSAs will provide an opportunity for participants to review the activities under the various pillars of cooperation, such as Maritime Safety and Security; Countering Terrorism and Radicalization; Combating Transnational Organized Crime; Cyber Security and Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief; and to discuss the Roadmap and Action Plan for 2026.

According to media sources in Dhaka, earlier on Wednesday, Bangladesh’s National Security Advisor (NSA), Khalilur Rahman, paid a visit to his Indian counterpart, Ajit Doval, during a lengthy discussion in New Delhi.

The meeting takes place in the midst of Dhaka’s reiterated demand that former prime minister Sheikh Hasina be extradited after Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) sentenced her to death earlier this week.

The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi posted on X: “Today in Delhi, the National Security Advisor of India, Mr. Ajit Doval, and his team met with the Bangladeshi delegation to the Seventh NSA-level Meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC), led by the National Security Advisor, Dr. Khalilur Rahman. They talked about important bilateral problems and the activities of CSC. Rahman asked Doval to come to Bangladesh whenever it would be convenient for him.

The NSAs of CSC met for the sixth time in December 2023 in Mauritius, and in August 2024, member states reconvened in Sri Lanka for the Signing Ceremony for the CSC’s Founding Documents.

Additionally, the CSC nations’ Deputy National Security Advisers (DNSAs) have been holding frequent meetings. In July 2024, DNSAs convened virtually for the last time.

The MEA claims that India has hosted several events in recent years, such as the First CSC Oceanographers and Hydrographers Conference, where member and observer states exchanged best practices and knowledge about oceanography and hydrography and talked about cooperative approaches to address regional ocean-related challenges.

Additionally, India hosted the third edition of the Maritime Law Workshop and the inaugural Coastal Security Conference, which concentrated on the larger role and duties of the Coast Guards of Member and Observer States in guaranteeing security of coastlines and beyond.

India also sponsored a number of training courses on drug law enforcement, organized crime, trafficking prevention, and terrorism investigations.

In order to provide fresh insights for exporters, importers, entrepreneurs, and MSMEs, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal launched the Trade Intelligence & Analytics (TIA) Portal on Tuesday. All stakeholders will have access to extra trade data.

According to Goyal, data that was previously exclusive to larger companies will now be accessible to smaller businesses, even in the most remote areas.

The minister emphasized that everyone will now have access to enormous prospects in the global services sector. Additionally, he noted that the gateway will enable exporters to make greater use of the nation’s free trade agreements.

According to Goyal, the Ministry of Commerce has worked hard to create this platform. According to him, the portal might assist identify missed opportunities, promote trade diversification, and broaden India’s trading basket to include additional regions and goods.

The Department of Commerce started developing the Trade Intelligence & Analytics (TIA) Portal in March 2024 after realizing the need for a strong intelligence and analytics framework to support evidence-based policymaking and enable focused sectoral actions.

Expanding these skills across all commodity and territory divisions, Export Promotion Councils (EPCs), and overseas missions in target countries was deemed vital by the Department.

To improve trade analytics and promote data-driven, evidence-based policymaking through a comprehensive and integrated platform, the Department has created a one-stop analytics Trade Intelligence & Analytics (TIA) Portal.

With numerous databases covering trade and macroeconomic variables, the one-stop solution accommodates multiple viewpoints, including India, global, and bilateral trade, and offers trade insights essential for well-informed decision-making.

Through specialized tools and visualizations, the Trade Watch Tower offers nation and commodity-level intelligence that enables users to recognize both bilateral and global trends with improved analytical capabilities for spotting market diversification opportunities.

For easy user access, database collation has been automated through APIs, and seamless data extraction capabilities have been established to extract and download nation and commodity data.

Workflows like the Monthly Trade Report (more than 300 pages) and surge reports, which are created in two versions based on trade alert data and final data (each more than 30 pages), have also been automated.

The Trade Data Analytics Portal is an affordable, open-source solution that places an emphasis on user-centric design, scalability, and accessibility. It provides a viable strategy for long-term deployment with no software licensing fees and very low server infrastructure expenditures.

By mapping India’s supply capabilities and analyzing global demand, the Trade Watch Tower finds Champion Products. Production Linked Incentive (PLI) commodity performance is monitored by specialized dashboards, which aid in evaluating market competitiveness and policy impact.

Surge monitoring technologies enable early detection of abnormalities and potential hazards by tracking import and export surges across commodities and nations, including FTA and non-FTA partners.

At the HS code level, a vital Minerals Dashboard analyzes India’s trade flows and international sourcing destinations for over thirty vital minerals. For tariff insights and performance monitoring, a Tariff Analysis Dashboard and a Target Monitoring Dashboard are being developed.

The portal integrates trade indices like the Trade Complementarity Index, which evaluates congruence between India’s export profile and partner countries’ import requirements, in order to offer advanced trade analytics.

India and Russia have held high-level talks to investigate potential cooperation, including shipbuilding, trade, economic, scientific, and technical cooperation.

Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, and Nikolai Patrushev, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Russian Maritime Board, convened high-level interagency meetings between Russia and India here.

The government claims that in order to examine the entire range of maritime cooperation, senior officials and specialists from both sides attended the meeting.

According to the statement, “the talks reaffirmed the deep and enduring Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership between India and Russia, grounded in mutual trust, respect, and a shared vision for long-term economic and strategic cooperation.”

Both parties recognized President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s outstanding leadership, which continues to influence the growing India-Russian alliance.

According to the statement, both parties reiterated their commitment to strengthening cooperation across shipbuilding, port development, maritime logistics, Arctic operations, research, and training, and they expressed satisfaction with the thorough and forward-looking discussions.

It stated, “The meeting concluded with a shared resolve to build a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable maritime partnership that strengthens regional and global connectivity and contributes to the long-term prosperity of both nations.”

In the meantime, Russian officials met with Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal in Moscow to discuss the planned India-Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) Free Trade Agreement.

According to the statement, the Commerce Secretary met with Andrey Slepnev, the Eurasian Economic Commission’s Minister of Trade, and Mikhail Yurin, the Russian Federation’s Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade. He also spoke at a business networking plenary with representatives from Russian and Indian industry.

With a persistent emphasis on diversification, bolstering robust supply chains, guaranteeing regulatory certainty, and encouraging balanced growth in the partnership, the talks expanded on the conclusions of the India-Russia Working Group on Trade and Economic Cooperation.

These initiatives are part of the strategy to increase Indian exports through industrial and technology cooperation and to reach $100 billion in bilateral commerce by 2030.

At the Asian Archery Championships 2025 here on Friday, India’s men’s recurve team defeated Korea in the final to take home the gold. Six gold medals were won by the Indian archers, including a historic one in the men’s individual recurve.

In the men’s recurve team competition at the championships, this was India’s first gold since 2007. Since 2013, Korea has won every tournament.

Through a shoot-off, the Indian team, which included Rahul, Atanu Das, and Yashdeep Sanjay Bhoge, won by a narrow 5-4 margin. In the shoot-off, both teams fired 29 shots each, but Rahul’s arrow was closest to the center, giving India the gold.

The Korean pair of Jang Minhee and Seo Mingi defeated Anshika Kumari and Yashdeep’s recurve mixed team in the bronze medal match.

In the men’s individual recurve, Rahul received silver after losing to fellow Indian Dhiraj Bommadevara in the final, while Deepshikha, Jyothi Surekha Vennam, and Prithika Pradeep’s team won gold.

After defeating Deepika Kumari in a shoot-off, Sangeeta won bronze in the women’s individual recurve. Rahul, Atanu Das, and Yashdeep Bhoge won gold after defeating South Korea in a shoot-off.

Ankita Bhakat and five-time Olympian Deepika Kumari will compete in the recurve women’s individual semifinal later in the day, while another Indian, Sangeeta, will face silver medallist Nam Suhyeon from the Paris Olympics.

Rahul will face another Korean, Seo Mingi, in the men’s individual competition, while Dhiraj Bommadevara will face Jang Chaehwan of Korea.

Jyothi Surekha Vennam earned two gold medals in the women’s individual and team compound competitions, while Ankita Bhakat took home the gold in the women’s individual recurve.

When Dhiraj Bommadevara won the men’s individual recurve gold—the first for India in eighteen years—he created history. In the final, he defeated fellow Indian Rahul 6-2 to take first place on the podium.

Dhiraj won the second set 29–26 to take a 2–1 lead following a fiercely contested first set that ended in a 1–1 deadlock. Dhiraj maintained his lead with a 3-1 overall score despite Rahul’s impressive effort, which tied the third set. After that, Dhiraj won the last set 28–26 to seal the victory.

Jyothi Surekha Vennam, the current Asian Games champion, won her third individual gold medal at the Asian Championships after winning it in 2015 and 2021. The compound women’s final was an all-Indian event.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated India’s 2025 Asian Archery Championships medal winners for their outstanding performances at the competition, where they won ten medals—their highest total ever.

“Congratulations to our Archery team on their best ever performance at the Asian Archery Championships 2025. They have brought home 10 medals, including 6 Golds. Notable among these was the historic Recurve Men’s Gold after 18 years. At the same time, there were strong showings in individual events and successful Compound title defenses too. This is indeed a very special feat, which will motivate many upcoming athletes,” the PM posted on X.