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2024 was a happening year. Happenstance, 2025 also will be. There was a new government at the Centre in 2024 — with the same old Prime Minister and a brand new Leader of the Opposition! In year 2025, there will be a new government in Delhi and the same old Chief Minister, maybe?

At the time of Indian independence in 1947 with GDP at 2.7 lakh crore that is 3% of the world's total GDP, it was a big challenge and horrendous task to meet aspirations of all sections of the society particularly the marginalized ones. Since the number of socially and economically deprived sections was very large, the policies had to be framed which would ensure an inclusive growth. Several schemes were floated for social welfare.

India is witnessing a transformative era in its naval history. On January 15, 2025, the Indian Navy will achieve a historic milestone by commissioning three advanced combat platforms—Nilgiri, Surat, and Vagsheer—on the same day. These platforms signify technological advancement and mark a crucial step in India's journey toward strategic sovereignty. Beyond their operational value, these vessels highlight India's growing influence in shaping the security architecture of the Indo-Pacific region.

ATHENS: First as tragedy, then as farce, and finally as that final season of a mediocre sit-com when every possible trick, even if obviously ridiculous, is used to attract some interest from the audience. This is one way to describe the complete implosion of Syriza, a party that was once thought to be the big hope of the European left.

The year 2024, which has ended, has been a tumultuous one both nationally and internationally. In India, the year began with the State-sponsored installation of the idol at the newly-built but incomplete Ram temple at Ayodhya, a signal from the BJP rulers that the era of Hindutva raj has begun. This was followed by various attacks on opposition leaders through the central agencies, including the arrest of two chief ministers.

The Left wing forces in the Latin American region will be facing major test in the year 2025 as crucial Presidential elections as also the polls to the parliament will be held in four countries, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile and Honduras. Out of the four, excepting Ecuador, the other three countries are being ruled by the Left coalitions. Apart, elections will be held in Argentina but that will not cover the Presidential elections, only elections to the national assembly will be held.

LONDON: As we enter 2025, the exhaustion of liberal centrism across the West is clearer than ever. The return of Donald Trump to the White House. The recent collapse of the governments of France and Germany.

The Indian newspapers have been full of stories about the fall of the rupee vis-à-vis the US dollar in the last few days. Just over a month ago, on November 27, the value of the dollar was Rs 84.559; by December29, it had risen to Rs 85.5. And this fall of the rupee has occurred despite a running down of foreign exchange reserves by the Reserve Bank of India to stabilise the rupee: the reserves which had amounted to $657.89 billion on November 22, had come down to $644.39 by December 20, and yet the fall of the rupee could not be prevented; without the running down of the reserves the fall would clearly have been even greater.

Falling enrolment of students in schools of India for the second year in a row in 2023-24 is a matter of serious concern. The year preceding the shutdown of schools across the country due to outbreak of the COVID-19 in 2020, enrolment of students had crossed 26.45 crore. However, in 2023-24 only 24.8 crore students could be enrolled, which is a fall of 6.23 per cent. Even in 2022-23, there were 25.18 crore enrolments. The Question is where are the children missing from the education system at a time when right to education is their fundamental right in the country?

New year is here with its pleasant freshness, though not without the pain that never gets dim. The memories that keep haunting are of a man who was killed because he always held human cause above the cold power of the forces of Right. His philosophy of militant nonviolence became the political instrument for him, to be used against the colonial powers. It was the means he used to seek liberation of our country with, that was in shackles, denied sovereignty and dignity, and hence, also its present and future.