Must Read Current Affairs Articles | List + 50 Words Summary– Dec 16th 2023

About Must Read News Articles: Must Read News Articles is an initiative by Team ForumIAS to provide links to the most important news articles of the day. It covers The Hindu newspaper. This saves the time and effort of students in identifying useful and important articles. With newspaper websites requiring a paid subscription beyond a certain number of fixed articles, we believe it is one of the best ways to cover all major newspapers in the shortest amount of time.

A time-honoured connect that will help bridge the Gulf : Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman visiting India for the first time since 2020.
Oman is located at geographically imp position in the Arabian Gulf region, signifies its importance for India’s West Asia Policy.
Relations: The MoU on Duqm Port, was a historic milestone in security cooperation. Bilateral trade reached $12.388 billion in FY2022-23. There is a large Indian community in Oman. Oman Supported India during the Cold War era. Good Defence and security engagement.
Potential: Oman can play imp role in regional stability. Potential for future cooperation in infrastructure projects like IMEEC and undersea connectivity.

Syllabus Topic – Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India

GS paper 3

Acceleration foretold – November’s retail inflation in India surged to 5.55%, driven by steep increases in food prices, particularly cereals and vegetables. Cereals recorded double-digit inflation for 15 months, while vegetables, especially onions and tomatoes, saw significant price hikes. Onion prices soared due to a projected 25% output shortfall. Pulses and sugar also faced rising inflation. These trends pose challenges for policymakers, risking broader consumption and economic growth if not addressed effectively.

Syllabus Topic – Economic Growth and Development