India’s next-gen Vande Bharat Sleeper train successfully reached 180 km/h during high-speed trials on the Kota–Nagda section, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared on social media, posting a video of the run under the supervision of the Commissioner of Railway Safety. The clip showed the train hitting around 182 km/h, and a “water test” with glasses remaining stable highlighted ride comfort and engineering precision. Designed for long-distance travel, this sleeper variant aims to combine speed, comfort, and modern amenities, and is expected to begin commercial services soon, enhancing India’s rail travel options.

Police in Assam and Tripura have arrested 11 people for alleged links with Bangladesh-based extremist groups, officials said on Tuesday. Ten were held in Assam districts including Barpeta, Chirang, Baksa, and Darrang, while one was caught in Tripura. The arrests followed intelligence inputs from central agencies. Police said the suspects were part of the Imam Mahmuder Kafila module, an offshoot of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh. Officials said two Bangladeshi nationals were guiding the Assam cell through encrypted online platforms. No arms were seized, but documents and digital material were recovered. Further operations are under way, police added. (PC: HT)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met leading economists at NITI Aayog on Tuesday to discuss India’s growth strategy ahead of the Union Budget 2026–27. The meeting focused on self-reliance and long-term structural reforms. Modi said policies and budgets must align with India’s vision for 2047. He stressed the need for mission-mode reforms and global integration. Economists shared ideas to boost productivity in manufacturing and services. The talks also covered infrastructure, household savings, AI, and digital systems. Nirmala Sitharaman and senior officials were present. (PC: ANI)

Four people, including three women, died after a BEST bus reversed into pedestrians in Mumbai on Monday night. The accident happened around 10 pm on Station Road in Bhandup West. CCTV footage shows people standing by the roadside before the bus moved back and hit them, causing panic. Nine others were injured and taken to a nearby hospital. Police said the driver has been detained and a case registered. Officials said the bus was being reversed at the end of its route. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh for each victim’s family. The wet-leased midi bus was hired from Olectra Greentech. 

A tragic accident occurred on Monday night (Dec 29, 2025) when a Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus, while reversing on Station Road near Bhandup West, struck pedestrians around 10:05 pm. The collision killed four people and injured nine others, officials said. Emergency teams from the Mumbai Fire Brigade, police, BEST staff, and ambulance services rushed to the scene and transported the injured to nearby hospitals. Authorities have secured the area and launched an investigation into the circumstances of the accident.

India’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, has approved defence procurement proposals worth about ₹79,000 crore (≈ $8.8 billion) to significantly strengthen the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The approved acquisitions span advanced systems including loiter munitions for precision strikes, lightweight radars to detect low-flying drones, and long-range guided rockets for the Pinaka rocket system. The Army will also receive integrated drone detection systems, while the Navy gets high-frequency radios and leased high-altitude drones. The Indian Air Force’s plan includes automatic take-off/landing recorders, Astra Mk-II missiles, simulators, and precision guidance kits, bolstering operational readiness and modernisation. (PC: The Telegraph)

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami spoke by phone with Tarun Prasad Chakma, father of 24-year-old MBA student Angel Chakma, who died after a violent attack in Dehradun, and assured strict punishment for the accused, officials said. Dhami expressed grief over the incident and said five suspects have been arrested, while a sixth is believed to be in Nepal, with a reward offered and a team sent to apprehend him. He also spoke with Tripura CM Manik Saha and Union ministers, stressing the state stands with the victim’s family amid rising calls against hate crimes. 

The Supreme Court of India on Dec 29, 2025 stayed the Delhi High Court’s order that had suspended the life sentence and granted bail to Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the former BJP MLA convicted in the 2017 Unnao rape case involving a minor. A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant ruled that substantial legal questions, including interpretation of “public servant” under the law, require scrutiny and issued notice to Sengar, giving him four weeks to respond. Sengar will remain in custody, also serving a separate sentence in the custodial death of the victim’s father. (PC: The Hindu)

The Supreme Court of India on Dec 29, 2025, paused its November 20 order that had adopted a uniform definition of the Aravalli Hills and ranges—a move that had raised concerns over potential expansion of regulated mining and loss of ecological protections. A vacation bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant said key ambiguities in that definition need expert assessment, especially questions over conservation zones, mining eligibility and ecological continuity. The court issued notices to the Centre and four states (Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Delhi) and formed a new expert committee to review environmental impacts before finalising any policy. Hearing set for Jan 21, 2026. (PC: India Today)

Two coaches of the Tatanagar–Ernakulam Express (Train No. 18189) caught fire in the early hours of December 29, 2025, near Yalamanchili/Elamanchili in Anakapalli district, Andhra Pradesh, while en route from Tatanagar to Ernakulam. Flames broke out around 12:45–1:30 am, leading to a swift halt and evacuation of passengers. About 158 people were aboard the affected B1 and adjacent coach when the fire engulfed them. One man, identified as Chandrasekhar Sundar (70), was found dead in the B1 coach. The remaining passengers escaped safely. The damaged coaches were detached, and an investigation into the cause is underway.