December 2

The Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong arrives in New Delhi on a five-day official visit. India and Vietnam sign four key agreements to give impetus to the growing political and economic partnership.

Lalit Mansingh takes over as the new Foreign Secretary, replacing K. Raghunath. He was earlier High Commissioner to Britain.
Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi voted as "Woman of Millennium" in a BBC online poll.
Non-Congress opposition members staged a walk-out in Lok Sabha charging the Government with "betraying" national interests and succumbing to US "pressure". Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee assures agitated members of Lok Sabha that India’s national interest will be fully protected at the ongoing Seattle negotiations.
The Rajya Sabha passes three Bills – the Marriage Law (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to remove epilepsy as a ground for annulment of marriage, the Indian Majority (Amendment) Bill, 1999, which prescribes a uniform age of 18 years for attaining ‘majority’ and the Administrators – General Bill, 1999, which seeks to enhance the monetary limit to Rs 2 lakh to a person claiming assets of a deceased.

December 3

Insurance Regulatory Develop-ment Authority Bill passed in Lok Sabha. The legislation provides for the entry of private Indian and foreign companies into the insurance business, ending the monopoly of the public sector Life Insurance Corporation and General Insurance Corporation.

The Lok Sabha passes the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) Bill to replace Foreign Exchange Regulation Act along with the Prevention of Money Laundering Bill.

Mrs. V.S. Ramadevi sworn in 13^th Governor of Karnataka. She is the first woman Governor of the State.

Rajya Sabha member Thambi Venkatachalam of MGR-ADMK passes away.

December 6

Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee President, Hemanand Biswal, takes over as the new Chief Minister of the state replacing Giridhar Gamang.
India’s Yukta Mookhey is crowned Miss World at the Miss World pageant at London. Miss South Africa, Sonia Reciti, finishes third and Miss Venezuela, Martina Thorogood, second.

December 7

The British Deputy Prime Minister, John Presscott, and the Union Environment Minister T.R.Baalu, sign an agreement towards sustainable transport for prevention and control of vehicular pollution.
Judges adopt 15-point code of ethics at the Chief Justices’ annual conference which include declaration of assets held by them and their kin.

December 8

Rajya Sabha gives assent to the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority Bill (IRDA).

December 9

Rajya Sabha passes Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) Bill.

December 10

Bharatiya Janta Party expels former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Kalyan Singh from the party for six years on charges of gross indiscipline.
United States multinational Cogentrix pulls out from the $ 1.3 billion power project in Karnataka, citing delays in government approvals and resolving public interest litigations.
Parliament approves the Special Protection Group (Amendment) Bill, 1999 to extend "proximate security" for 10 years to former Prime Ministers and members of their immediate family where the level of threat is justified.

December 11

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee launches Rs 100 crore National Venture Fund for the software and Information Technology industry .
Air India and Virgin Atlantic Airways sign an agreement under which there will be three services a week on a code share basis between Delhi and London from July 2000.
Prime Minister reconstitutes the implementation review committee and sets-up special groups on eight new economic themes in a bid to boost reforms through greater "convergence and consensus".
Lok Sabha passes the Indian Majority Amendment Bill, the Administrators’ General Amendment Bill and the Notaries Amendment Bill. The three Bills have already been passed by the Rajya Sabha.

December 13

Prime Minister lays the foundation of the 800-MW Parbati hydel power project in Sainj valley and announces Rs 40 crore financial assistance for Himachal Pradesh.

December 14

With an under-five mortality rate of 105, India ranks 49 (as against 45 last year) out of 191 countries. The under-five mortality rate (U5MR) is UNICEF’s prime indicator for human development and the well-being of a nation.

December 15

Haryana Governor Mahabir Prasad dissolves the State Assembly 17 months before the expiry of its five-year term on the recommendation of the Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala.

December 16

The Union Cabinet approves proposals to amend the Patents Act, 1970 in order to meet WTO commitments, as well as the companies Act, 1956 to allow for investor protection and provide good corporate governance.
The United States imposes anti-dumping duty on steel plates imported from India and five other countries.

INTERNATIONAL

December 2

Union Minister for Commerce, Murasoli Maran, reiterates India’s position on imbalances in the existing WTO agreements - labour, environment issues and foreign investment, at the third ministerial conference of the World Trade Organisation at Seattle.

December 3

US President Bill Clinton signs an international treaty to ban child labour at World Trade Orga-nisation conference at Seattle.

December 4

On the penultimate day of the conference, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) sets up a group to look into the issue of linkage between labour standards and trade.

December 5

The third ministerial conference of the World Trade Organsiation (WTO) fails to reach an agreement on the ministerial declaration. Chairperson Charlene Barshefsky of United States announces a "time out" to pick up the thread later in Geneva.

December 7

German tennis champion Steffi Graf receives the Olympic movement’s highest honour, "The Olympic Order of Merit" by the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland. She is the winner of 22 Grand Slam titles and the 1988 Olympic singles championship.

December 8

India and Russia sign a 10-year protocol at Moscow, providing for joint production and development of military and civilian aircraft in India.

December 9

The President of Russia and Belarus, Boris Yeltsin and Alexander Lukashenko, sign a treaty in Moscow to create a formal confederation between the two countries.
Chargesheet against the former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and six others is filed in the "plane hijack" case in Islamabad accusing them of waging war against the country, attempt to murder, hijacking, kidnapping and criminal conspiracy.

December 12

President of Croatia, Franjo Tudjman, passes away. He led his country to independence from Yugoslavia but was assailed for his authoritarian rule as well as nationalist policies.

December 14

Boxing legend Muhammed Ali adjudged the BBC "Sportsman of the Century" at London.

December 16

The United States formally transfers control over the Panama Canal by handing over the U.S. – built and administered canal to the Panama President, Ms Mireya Moscosco.