Daily Global News Analysis: Top 20 Stories from December 5, 2025 Comprehensive News Roundup Featuring National, International, and Sectoral Developments Headline-1: PM Modi and Putin Hold Landmark Bilateral Talks at Rashtrapati Bhavan (National | Politics/Diplomacy) Summary: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held their historic bilateral meeting on December 5 at Rashtrapati Bhavan, marking a crucial moment for India-Russia strategic partnership. The two leaders discussed strengthening defence cooperation, energy collaboration, and addressing regional and global challenges amid geopolitical tensions. Modi says Russia and India stand together even in difficult reuters Detailed Explanation: The bilateral summit between PM Modi and President Putin represents the 23rd India-Russia Annual Summit, focusing on deepening strategic ties across multiple sectors. During their meeting, Modi emphasized that Russia and India stand together "even in difficult times," underscoring India's independent foreign policy approach. The leaders discussed critical areas including defence procurement, small modular reactors (SMRs) for nuclear energy, space cooperation, and trade normalization amid international sanctions. Putin gifted a comprehensive appreciation of India's civilizational contributions, while Modi presented Putin with the Bhagavad Gita in Russian language, symbolizing cultural exchange. The summit occurs amid Ukraine war developments and US-India trade negotiations, with both nations seeking to maintain robust bilateral relations despite global pressure. Economic cooperation remains pivotal, with Russian energy imports ensuring India's energy security. The meeting underscores India's commitment to the principle of "strategic autonomy" in international relations, refusing to align exclusively with any single power bloc while maintaining strong partnerships with multiple nations including Russia, the US, and others. Source Link: https://www.reuters.com/world/india/russias-putin-arrives-india-summit-talks-with-pm-modi-2025-12-04/ Headline-2: IndiGo Airlines Cancels Over 550 Flights in Fourth Consecutive Day of Massive Disruptions (National | Business/Aviation) Summary: India's largest airline, IndiGo, faced unprecedented operational chaos with over 550 flights cancelled on December 4 across major airports. This marks the fourth consecutive day of massive disruptions, affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers nationwide and forcing the airline to implement drastic schedule reductions. Airline IndiGo's operations to be restored by Feb 10, seeks reuters Detailed Explanation: IndiGo's operational crisis intensified dramatically with 550 cancellations across major Indian airports including Mumbai (118 cancellations), Bangalore (100), Hyderabad (75), Kolkata (35), Chennai (26), and Goa (11). The disruptions stem from crew shortage issues, new Duty Timeation regulations, and transitional challenges in flight operations. CEO Pieter Elbers acknowledged that normalizing operations and restoring punctuality will not be an "easy target." The airline informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that cancellations would continue for two to three more days, followed by reduced flight operations from December 8 to minimize further disruption. IndiGo has assured DGCA that full operational restoration would be achieved by February 10, 2026, while seeking exemptions from specific flight duty time limit (FDTL) provisions. Stranded passengers faced severe hardship with airports running out of food due to overcrowding, and the aviation ministry directed airport operators to provide support to affected travelers. IndiGo's stock declined 3.4% on Thursday and 6% over the week, reflecting investor concern about the airline's capacity to resolve the crisis. Source Link: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indigo-flights-delayed-thousands-of-fliers-wait-for-luggage-without-food-indigo-flight-cancellat Headline-3: Cyclone Ditwah Death Toll Reaches 479 in Sri Lanka, Over 1.6 Million Affected (International | Environment/Disaster) Summary: Cyclone Ditwah has devastated Sri Lanka with an official death toll reaching 479 people and 356 reported missing. The disaster has affected over 1.6 million people across 25 districts, with the central highlands region suffering the heaviest casualties and widespread displacement. Cyclone Ditwah kills 123 in Sri Lanka's worst flood in 20 bostonglobe Detailed Explanation: The cyclone, which made landfall on November 28, triggered catastrophic flooding and landslides particularly in Sri Lanka's central highlands. Kandy District emerged as the worst-hit with 118 confirmed deaths and 171 missing, while Nuwara Eliya reported 89 deaths and 73 missing. Badulla District recorded 83 deaths and 28 missing, with Kurunegala suffering 56 deaths and 16 missing. Approximately 188,974 people remain displaced and living in temporary shelters across 53,758 designated