Daily Current Affairs: 3 December 2025
Analysis for 03 December 2025
Hornbill Festival celebrated in Nagaland from December 1 to 10
Key Updates:
- The Hornbill Festival 2025 will run from December 1 to 10 in Nagaland.
- The 26th Hornbill Festival is being held at Kisama Heritage Village, just outside Kohima.
- Every winter, Nagaland springs to life with the Hornbill Festival.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Ireland is the official Country Partner for Hornbill Festival 2025, announced Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and Irish Ambassador Kevin Kelly at the Naga House in the national capital.
- Irish folk ensemble Boinn (featuring members of The Mary Wallopers) will perform traditional Irish ballads at the festival opening.
- Embassy of Ireland will host investment roundtables, public art installations, literary & theatre-arts work, and a dialogue series on Ireland, India, and Empire.
- Ministry of Home Affairs relaxed the Protected Area Permit (PAP) regime in Nagaland.
- The relaxation aims to promote tourism, improve ease of movement and strengthen integration with the rest of the country during the Hornbill Festival.
- Nagaland government requested lifting of the PAP regime.
- Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to relax the PAP regime.
- The Raulane festival is a 5,000-year-old festival celebrated in Kinnaur's Himalayas.
- It honors celestial fairies called Saunis, who are believed to protect villagers during harsh winters.
- During the festival, men, disguised as a symbolic bride (Raulane) and groom (Raula), perform a slow, devotional dance at the Nagin Narayan temple.
- The faces of the participants remain wrapped in heavy Kinnauri woollens, and their hands vanish into thick gloves, turning them into ritual figures.
- Villagers believe the disguised pair becomes a vessel, a messenger, and a bridge to the Sauni spirits or fairies.
- The land of Kinnaur, where the festival is celebrated, is home to one of the world’s oldest continuous civilisations.
- The twin festivals are organised by the tourism department in association with Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi and Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC).
- The five-day event celebrates India’s cultural heritage and artistic brilliance.
- The inaugural evening at Konark showcased an Odissi performance by Sonali Mohapatra and artists of Nrutya Upasana Pitha, Bhubaneswar.
- The recital opened with Odissi recitals on Hanuman Chalisa, composed by Sant Tulsidas, with music by Guru Abhiram Nanda and choreography by Mohapatra.
- This was followed by ‘Saranga Pallavi’, a dance sequence exploring the beauty of Rag Saranga through intricate rhythm and melody, choreographed by Mohapatra with music by Nirmal Kumar Mahapatra.
- The troupe concluded with Chari Yuga Devi, depicting the divine power of Maa Durga.
Prime Minister’s Office new complex to be called 'Seva Teerth'
Key Updates:
- The new complex housing the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) shall be called ‘Seva Teerth’ to reflect the spirit of service rather than ‘power’.
- Earlier called ‘Executive Enclave’ under the Central Visa Redevelopment project, the complex is in the final stages of completion.
- Seva Teerth will house the PMO, offices of the Cabinet secretariat, National Security Council Secretariat and India House.
- Home ministry wrote to the states and Union territories to rename governor’s houses as ‘Lok Bhavan’ or ‘Lok Niwas’ instead of ‘Raj Bhavan’.
Similar / Past Coverage
- The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation has set up a four-member committee for cadre restructuring of the retirement fund body.
- The committee, headed by BP Sharma, the former secretary of the department of personnel and training, will submit its report by March 31, 2026.
- It will undertake a comprehensive review of the existing workload of EPFO, identify imbalances, overlaps and inefficiencies in the present workforce structure and evaluate the requirement for rationalisation, optimisation or augmentation of human resources in line with functional necessities.
- The committee will benchmark the cadre structure of officers and employees of the central board and recommend appropriate restructuring measures to enhance efficiency, service delivery and institutional effectiveness, while ensuring that manpower deployment remains commensurate with the functional workload.
- It will recommend a suitable framework for induction of officers on deputation from the central government and other public institutions for bringing in talent, best practices, and cross-sectoral expertise to EPFO.
- The committee will also recommend a framework for EPFO officers and staff to go on deputation or exchange programmes to other organisations to facilitate exposure to new ideas, professional development, and adoption of innovative practices.
- Mallika Srinivasan’s tenure as PESB Chairperson has been extended.
- Her extension will take effect from November 19, 2025, allowing her to continue leading the PSU head-hunter until November 18, 2026.
- This marks her second consecutive extension in this role.
- Mallika Srinivasan continues to serve as Chairperson and Managing Director of Tractors and Farm Equipment Ltd TAFE.
- Amit Agrawal has been appointed as the new secretary in the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
- Prior to this appointment, he was serving as the Pharmaceutical Secretary.
- He is a 1993-batch Chhattisgarh cadre Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer.
- Agrawal previously served as chief executive officer of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Finance.
- He is a graduate from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur.
- Neeraj Mittal, the outgoing Secretary of the Department of Telecommunications, has been shifted to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
- The NaMo App volunteers launched a 15-day digital volunteering initiative under Seva Parv 2025 to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.
- The engagement runs till October 2, honouring PM Modi's lifelong commitment to the spirit of 'seva'.
- Seva Parv 2025 offers nine interactive activities on the NaMo App related to service, learning, and sharing wishes.
- 'Sabka Saath, Sabki Seva' lets users choose from 15 predefined seva activities, upload selfies, and earn recognition on the Seva Leaderboard along with a personalised certificate.
- The Virtual Exhibition 'Prime Minister Modi Seva hi sankalp, rashtrapratham hi prerna' presents interactive panels, videos, and a 'Modi Milestones Photobooth' for selfies against backdrops from PM Modi’s life.
- The AI Shubhkamna Reel uses AI to generate personalised birthday videos for PM Modi based on user details such as name, profession, and availed government schemes.
- 'Discover Your Modi Trait' provides users a personalised trait card after a short quiz indicating which of PM Modi’s qualities they share.
- 'Know Your NaMo Quiz' comprises 10 questions on PM Modi’s life and leadership, allows multiple attempts, and offers downloadable certificates for perfect scores.
- 'Main Bhi Modi' collects user selfies performing seva to form a dynamic collage portrait of PM Modi symbolising unity through service.
- The NaMo Book Collection section enables ordering books on PM Modi’s life authored by subject experts, either for oneself or as gifts.
- NaMo Merchandise offers T-shirts, mugs, and caps featuring new PM Modi slogans, orderable directly through the app.
- 'World Wishes PM Modi' displays real-time birthday greetings from global leaders and dignitaries, collated within the app.
Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) Achieves Water-Positive Status as India's First Airport with Over 40 Million Passengers
Key Updates:
- Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) certified as water-positive, the first airport in India with over 40 million passengers.
- A water-positive facility replenishes more water than it consumes.
- Achieved through 625 rainwater harvesting structures installed across the airport.
- Two newly built underground reservoirs with a combined capacity of 9 million litres.
- 16.6 MLD zero-liquid-discharge sewage treatment plant recycles wastewater.
- Treated water reused for HVAC systems, landscape irrigation, toilet flushing and other non-potable applications.
- Water treatment plant provides high-quality potable water to passengers with minimal wastage.
- Advanced systems such as sprinklers and drip irrigation ensure efficient water use.
- Recognised for scope I water neutrality under the NITI Aayog–CII water neutrality framework.
- Water neutrality balances total freshwater use with water savings from improved efficiency, reuse and replenishment.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Indore Municipal Corporation has been awarded the CII–Indian Green Building Council IGBC Green City Platinum Certification.
- Indore is now among the top three cities in India to receive this honour.
- The certification followed a rigorous six-month evaluation covering water management, energy efficiency, waste reduction, e-governance, green cover expansion, and sustainable urban planning.
- The award was presented to collector Asheesh Singh and IMC commissioner Shivam Varma by Sunil Chordia, Chairman of CII National Committee on MSME.
- Indore joins an elite group of just 32 cities and zones across India to receive IGBC’s Platinum rating.
- IGBC has certified more than 16,300 projects across India, contributing to a green building footprint of over 14.15 billion sq ft.
- Nearly 90% of all green building projects in the country are now aligned with IGBC rating systems.
- Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu inaugurated the Hanimaadhoo International Airport.
- The airport project was built with Indian financial assistance.
- It was financed through a line of credit extended by India’s EXIM Bank under a 2019 agreement with the Maldivian government.
- Construction was carried out by India’s JMC Projects.
- India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, attended the inauguration ceremony.
- President Muizzu described the airport as a “gateway to prosperity” and a “catalyst for unlocking the potential of the northern Maldives and enhancing global connectivity.”
- The Indian High Commission described the project as a “true vehicle for progress and prosperity, and a symbol of India’s commitment under Neighbourhood First and MAHASAGAR vision.”
- Scheme Name: National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) – Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2025; Implementing Ministry: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC)
- Objective: Promote healthy competition among 130 NCAP cities to take expeditious actions to improve air quality through rigorous, multi-tiered evaluation
- Key Feature: Annual survey now extended to ward-level with release of ‘Ward-Level Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan Guidelines’ for deeper impact
- Financial Outlay: ₹20,130 crore allocated to 130 NCAP cities; ₹13,237 crore provided as air-quality-performance-linked grant; total ₹1.55 lakh crore mobilised by converging Central schemes (SBM-U, AMRUT, Smart City, SATAT, FAME-II, Nagar Van) plus State/ULB contributions
- Portal: PRANA digital platform enables cities to track progress and ensures transparency in implementation of air-quality activities
- Wetland City Accreditation: Indore and Udaipur recognised as Ramsar Wetland Cities under Ramsar Convention for safeguarding urban wetlands
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Bihar on Monday to inaugurate the long-awaited Purnea Airport and launch development projects worth ₹36,000 crore.
- The Purnia Civil Enclave Airport is seen as a major milestone for northeastern Bihar.
- The Purnia Civil Enclave Airport is equipped with a 2,800-meter runway suitable for large aircraft like Airbus and Boeing, and a 4,000-square-meter terminal building featuring modern passenger amenities.
- The airport is expected to handle the region's growing air traffic for the next 40 years.
- PM Modi will also launch the National Makhana Board.
- The National Makhana Board is a significant step to boost Bihar's Makhana industry, which accounts for about 90 per cent of the national production.
- The Board will support farmers with improved technology, post-harvest management, market access, and export promotion.
- PM Modi will also lay the foundation stone for new railway lines and inaugurate train services to further strengthen rail connectivity in the region.
India achieves 51.37% non-fossil installed electricity capacity surpassing fossil fuels
Key Updates:
- Non-fossil sources account for 51.37% of India’s installed electricity capacity while fossil fuels contribute 48.6%.
- Total power capacity hits 5.05 Lakh MW.
- Total renewable energy capacity stands at 2,50,643 MW.
- Solar capacity reaches 1,29,924 MW.
- Wind capacity reaches 53,600 MW.
- Hydro plus Pumped Storage capacity stands at 50,348 MW.
- Biomass and Waste-to-Energy capacity stands at 11,613 MW.
- Battery Energy Storage totals 43.22 GWh under implementation.
- Pumped Storage Projects total 11,870 MW under construction.
- Nuclear energy target is 100 GW by 2047.
- SMR Mission allocation is ₹20,000 crore.
- Green Hydrogen Mission targets 5 MMT production by 2030.
- Green Hydrogen Mission dedicates 125 GW RE capacity by 2030.
- 100% FDI allowed under automatic route for renewables.
Similar / Past Coverage
- India’s total non-fossil fuel installed electricity capacity reached 250 GW in 2025, up from 81 GW before 2014 (“jumped over three-fold to touch 250 GW-mark from 81 GW in 2014”).
- Break-up of 250 GW: 123.13 GW solar, 52.68 GW wind, 55.22 GW hydro, 11.60 GW bio-energy and 8.78 GW nuclear (“includes 123.13 GW solar, 52.68 GW wind energy, 55.22 GW hydro, 11.60 bio-energy and 8.78 GW nuclear energy”).
- National target is 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 (“The country aims to have 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030”).
- Achievement spans solar, wind, hydro, bio-energy and nuclear power sectors (“this achievement across solar, wind, hydro, bio-energy and nuclear power”).
- Statement issued by Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy (“New & Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi said”).
- India's total installed electricity capacity reached 500.89 GW as of September 30, 2025, up from 249 GW in 2014
- Non-fossil fuel sources (renewable energy, hydro, and nuclear) account for 256.09 GW, over 51% of total capacity
- Fossil fuel-based sources stand at 244.80 GW, about 49% of total capacity
- India added 28 GW of non-fossil capacity and 5.1 GW of fossil-fuel capacity in the first half of this fiscal year
- On July 29, 2025, renewables met 51.5% of India's total electricity demand of 203 GW, achieving the highest-ever renewable energy share
- India added a record 29 GW of non-fossil capacity in 2024 and another 25 GW in the first half of 2025, crossing the 50 % mark toward its 500 GW non-fossil goal well ahead of 2030.
- Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) states meeting the 500 GW target could peak India’s coal power emissions before 2030.
- India’s annual solar module manufacturing capacity reached 118 GW by mid-2025 and is projected to hit 200 GW by 2028, cutting import dependence.
- China has added enough clean electricity to cover all new demand growth, with power-sector coal use and emissions falling since 2024.
- Indonesia’s 100 GW solar programme under President Prabowo Subianto could enable coal power generation to peak by 2030.
- Summit Name: Global Energy Leaders' Summit 2025, organised by Department of Energy, Government of Odisha in partnership with Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and IIT Kanpur
- Location: Puri, Odisha
- Participating Countries: Experts and stakeholders from over seven countries including Canada, Brazil, Indonesia, Bhutan, Singapore and Malaysia
- Theme: 'Powering India: Sufficiency, Balance, Innovation'
- Key Objective: Sharing best practices in energy sector to help states learn from one another and turn innovation into progress
PAHAL (DBTL) Scheme strengthened with Biometric Verification
Key Updates:
- Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas oversees the Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG (DBTL)-PAHAL Scheme operational since January 2015.
- Common LPG Database Platform (CLDP) introduced to identify and block duplicate, inactive, and fraudulent LPG connections using Aadhaar number, bank details, Household ID, Ration card, name and address matching.
- Aadhaar-Based Biometric Verification mandated for PMUY and PAHAL beneficiaries, with 69% of existing PMUY users completed as of 1 November 2025.
- Terminated 8.63 lakh ineligible PMUY connections and 20,000 inactive beneficiaries since January 2025.
- Strengthened Grievance Redress System includes toll-free helpline 1800-2333-555, LPG distributor offices, OMCs' apps and websites, CPGRAMS portal, WhatsApp support, social media channels, and LPG emergency line 1906.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Thursday launched an "Easy Registry" system.
- The state is the first in India to provide a facility that promises simplicity, speed and transparency in land registration and aims to eradicate corruption.
- Under the new system, any sub-registrar office within a district could register properties located anywhere in that district.
- Citizens can now draft sale deeds online or through Sewa Kendras by paying a nominal fee of Rs 500.
- Under the "Sarkar Tuhade Dwaar" scheme, citizens may call 1076 to avail the service.
- Complete online submission of documents would be possible within 48 hours.
- A fixed time frame of 48 hours has been set for objections, which will be referred immediately to the concerned deputy commissioner for verification of their legitimacy.
- Citizens will receive updates on every stage of the registration process via WhatsApp, and if anyone demands a bribe, a complaint may be lodged directly through WhatsApp.
- Through the "Draft My Deed" feature, anyone may prepare their own registration documents with assistance from a Sewa Kendra or Sewa assistant.
- The Electricity (Amendment) Bill, 2025 aims to overhaul India’s electricity distribution sector, reduce systemic inefficiencies, and ensure affordable, reliable power.
- The Bill transitions away from a monopoly model to regulated competition, allowing multiple distribution licensees to operate in the same area using shared infrastructure.
- A Universal Service Obligation (USO) will be mandatory for all licensees, though SERCs may exempt licensees from USO for large open-access users consuming more than 1 MW of power.
- The reforms address high AT&C losses, poor billing efficiency, and financial stress on discoms by rationalizing charges and promoting cost-reflective tariffs.
- Subsidies for farmers and low-income households will be explicitly protected and provided through direct, budgeted support under Section 65.
- The Bill aims to reduce cross-subsidy for Manufacturing, Railways, and Metro Rail within five years.
- State Electricity Regulatory Commissions (SERCs) will determine uniform, cost-reflective wheeling charges for all network users, drawing inspiration from the Inter-State Transmission System (ISTS) model.
- The reforms are structured around six pillars: Structural Reforms, Tariff and Cross-Subsidy Rationalisation, Infrastructure and Network Efficiency, Governance and Regulatory Strengthening, Sustainability and Market Development, and Legal and Operational Clarity.
- A new Electricity Council will be created as a Centre–State coordination platform for policy consensus and harmonisation.
- SERCs will receive greater regulatory powers, including the authority to penalise non-compliance and determine tariffs suo moto.
- The Bill introduces provisions for Energy Storage Systems (ESS) and reinforces obligations for non-fossil energy procurement with penalties for failure.
- Outdated definitions are updated, references are aligned with the Companies Act, 2013, and the powers of the Electric Line Authority are codified to match those of the Telegraph Authority under the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885.
- The Bill supports the national vision of “Viksit Bharat @2047” by ensuring competitively priced power for industries and subsidised electricity for vulnerable households.
- Shri Manohar Lal, Hon’ble Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs, launched “Angikaar 2025”, a last-mile outreach campaign under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban 2.0 (PMAY-U 2.0).
- The campaign was launched in New Delhi on 4th September 2025.
- Angikaar 2025 is an outreach campaign that will accelerate the implementation of PMAY-U 2.0 by creating widespread awareness about the scheme across the country.
- The campaign is designed to fast-track verification of applications under the scheme and expedite the completion of already sanctioned houses under PMAY-U.
- Another key objective of Angikaar 2025 is to inform stakeholders about the Credit Risk Guarantee Fund Trust for Low Income Housing (CRGFTLIH) scheme.
- Benefits of the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana will be provided to beneficiaries of PMAY-U and housing needs of beneficiaries from Special Focus Group identified under PMAY-U 2.0 will be prioritised.
- Angikaar 2025 will run for a period of two months from 4th September 2025 to 31st October 2025 across 5,000+ Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the country.
- It will feature a line-up of camps, loan melas, and cultural events designed to engage prospective beneficiaries and other related stakeholders to participate in the Jan Bhagidari movement.
- As part of the campaign, PMAY-U Awas Diwas will be celebrated on 17th September 2025 to mark the first year of launch of PMAY-U 2.0.
- An anchor event named “PM Awas Mela – Shehri” will be held at District Headquarters, conducted in two phases – the first phase from 17th September 2025 to 27th September 2025 and the second phase will be any day between 16th October 2025 to 31st October 2025.
- Under PMAY-U 2.0, one crore additional families of urban India will receive financial support of up to ₹2.50 lakh by the Government to construct or purchase a pucca house in cities.
- NPCI Bharat BillPay Ltd (NBBL) currently covers 70-80 million households.
- NBBL plans to expand Bharat Connect and bill payment platforms to reach about 135 million households.
- CareEdge projects MSME and retail segments to drive 12% credit growth in FY26.
- NBFC borrowings projected to reach $750 billion by FY27 as markets shift towards capital markets.
- Piramal Finance eyes Rs 1 lakh crore AUM by FY26 as its retail portfolio scales up.
National Statistics Office (NSO) shows industrial production growth at 14-month low of 0.4% in October
Key Updates:
- Index of Industrial Production (IIP) rose an annual 0.4% in October.
- IIP growth lower than upwardly revised 4.6% in September.
- IIP growth below 3.7% recorded in October last year.
- Manufacturing sector slowed to 1.8% in October.
- Manufacturing growth 4.4% in October last year.
- Electricity sector contracted 6.9% in October.
- Electricity growth 2% in same month last year.
- Mining sector fell 1.8% in October.
- Mining expansion 0.9% in year ago period.
- Capital goods sector rose 2.4% in October.
- Capital goods expansion 5.4% in September.
- Consumer durables segment fell 0.5% in October.
- Consumer durables growth 10% in September.
- Non-durables sector contracted 4.4% in October.
- Non-durables decline 0.3% in September.
Similar / Past Coverage
- India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) expects GDP in FY26 to grow 7 per cent year-on-year.
- Ind-Ra revised forecast 70 basis points higher than earlier 6.3 per cent projected in July 2025.
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) projected India's GDP growth in current fiscal at 6.8 per cent.
- India's real GDP grew 7.8 per cent in April-June period of FY26.
- India's GDP expanded 6.5 per cent in last fiscal year.
- Ind-Ra expects private final consumption expenditure to grow 7.4 per cent YoY in FY26.
- Private final consumption expenditure grew 7.2 per cent in FY25.
- Indian exports to US fell 11.9 per cent YoY in September 2025.
- Indian exports to US fell 8.9 per cent YoY in October 2025.
- Indian exports to US averaged USD 7.2 billion per month in FY25.
- Indian exports to US averaged USD 7.4 billion from April to October 2025.
- Indian exports to US dropped to USD 5.9 billion during September-October 2025.
- India’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP) grew 4 percent in September 2025, unchanged from the revised August 2025 figure of 4.1 percent.
- Manufacturing output rose 4.8 percent in September 2025, up from 4 percent in September 2024.
- Mining activity contracted 0.4 percent in September 2025 versus a 0.2 percent rise in September 2024.
- Electricity generation increased 3.1 percent in September 2025, compared with 0.5 percent in September 2024.
- For April–September FY26, overall industrial production grew 3 percent, lower than the 4.1 percent recorded in the same period of FY25.
- Growth across India’s eight core industries slowed to 3 percent in September 2025 from 6.5 percent in August 2025.
- Steel production surged 14.1 percent and cement output rose 5.3 percent in September 2025.
- Refinery output declined 3.7 percent, natural gas production fell 3.8 percent, and crude oil dropped 1.3 percent in September 2025.
- India’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP) rose 4.0% year-on-year in September 2025.
- The growth was led by a 4.8% expansion in manufacturing.
- The data was released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI).
- The Quick Estimate of IIP stood at 152.8 in September 2025, up from 146.9 in September 2024.
- Sector-wise, mining output slipped 0.4%, while electricity generation grew 3.1%.
- Out of 23 manufacturing sub-groups, 13 recorded positive growth in September.
- Top performing manufacturing sectors included basic metals (12.3%), electrical equipment (28.7%), and motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (14.6%).
- Based on use-based classification, infrastructure/construction goods grew 10.5%, consumer durables grew 10.2%, and intermediate goods grew 5.3%.
- Consumer non-durables recorded a growth rate of –2.9%.
- The next IIP release, for October 2025, is scheduled for November 28, 2025.
- India Ratings and Research raised India's FY26 GDP growth projection to 7% YoY, 70 basis points higher than its July 2025 forecast of 6.3%.
- The RBI has projected India's GDP growth for FY26 at 6.8%.
- India's real GDP grew 7.8% YoY in Q1 FY26, the fastest pace in five quarters.
- Ind-Ra expects private final consumption expenditure (PFCE) to grow 7.4% YoY in FY26, up from 7.2% in FY25.
- Indian exports to the US fell 11.9% YoY in September 2025 and 8.9% YoY in October 2025.
- Indian exports to the US averaged USD 7.4 billion per month from April to October 2025, but dropped to USD 5.9 billion in September-October 2025.
Atal Pension Yojana (APY) enrolments cross 8.34 crore
Key Updates:
- Atal Pension Yojana (APY) has crossed 8.34 crore enrolments.
- Women constitute 48% of the total subscribers.
- Launched in May 2015, APY aims to build a universal social security system for citizens, particularly workers in the unorganised sector.
- The scheme is open to individuals aged 18 to 40 years who have a savings bank or post-office account.
- Subscribers receive pension benefits after turning 60, and benefits are expected to begin disbursal from 2035 onward.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Scheme Name: Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) under National Pension System (NPS) for Central Government employees.
- Forfeiture Rule: Resignation from service leads to forfeiture of the assured payout under UPS, unless the resignation is withdrawn in the public interest by the appointing authority. (Rule 15, Central Civil Services (Implementation of Unified Pension Scheme under the National Pension System) Rules, 2025)
- Lump Sum Payment: The accumulated pension wealth in the individual corpus is payable as a lump sum, processed 90 days after the resignation takes effect.
- Death Clause: If the subscriber dies within the 90-day period post-resignation, the accumulated pension wealth is paid to the legally wedded spouse or, if none, to legal heirs.
- Scheme Name: Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) – notified as an option under the National Pension System (NPS)
- Implementing Body: Personnel Ministry, Government of India
- Key Provision: One-time option for central government employees covered under NPS to enrol in UPS
- Switch Facility: Employees can switch from UPS to NPS one year before retirement or three months before Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS)
- Retirement Eligibility: Retirement after completion of 20 years of regular service (quoted as replacing the earlier 25-year requirement)
- Effective Date of Operationalisation: April 1, 2025
- India’s overall unemployment rate (persons of 15 years and above) declined to 5.1% in August 2025, down from 5.2% in July and 5.6% in June.
- Urban male unemployment dropped from 6.6% in July to 5.9% in August, while rural male unemployment fell to 4.5%.
- Female Worker Population Ratio rose for two consecutive months to 32.0% in August, up from 30.2% in June.
- Female Labour Force Participation Rate increased from 32% in June to 33.7% in August, with rural rising from 35.2% to 37.4% and urban from 25.2% to 26.1%.
- Overall Labour Force Participation Rate improved to 55% in August from 54.2% in June.
- Survey covered 3,76,839 persons in rural areas and 2,15,895 in urban areas, totaling 5,92,734 individuals.
- Women contribute only 18% to India’s GDP though they form nearly half the population.
- India targets a $30 trillion economy by 2047, contingent on inclusive growth.
- Female Labour Force Participation Rate has improved to 41.7%, yet only 18% are in formal employment.
- 196 million employable women remain outside the workforce.
- The WEE Index tracks women’s participation across five levers: Employment, Education & skilling, Entrepreneurship, Livelihood & mobility, and Safety & infrastructure.
Air Marshal Tejbir Singh assumes charge as Director General Inspection & Safety
Key Updates:
- Air Marshal Tejbir Singh has assumed charge as Director General Inspection & Safety at Air Headquarters of the Indian Air Force (IAF).
- He takes over from Air Marshal Makarand Bhaskar Ranade, who superannuated on 30 November 2025.
- Air Marshal Tejbir Singh is an alumnus of the Royal College of Defence Studies, UK.
- Air Marshal Tejbir Singh has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal 2010 and the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal 2018.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Vice Admiral B. Sivakumar, AVSM, VSM, assumed the position of the 40th Chief of Materiel on 1 November 2025.
- He was commissioned as an Electrical Officer in the Indian Navy on July 1, 1987.
- He succeeded Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh, AVSM, VSM, who completed over 39 years of service.
- Vishvajit Sahay, 1990-batch IDAS officer, took over as Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA)
- Alumnus of St. Stephen's College, Delhi; previously served as Additional Secretary & FA, Dept of Science & Technology, Joint Secretary, Dept of Heavy Industry, and Finance Manager (Acquisition Wing), MoD
- Held key posts in Defence Accounts Dept: Principal Controller of Defence Accounts (Pensions) Prayagraj, Joint CGDA, and Special CGDA
- Govt appointed seven new secretary-rank officers, including the new heads for oil, telecom and agriculture ministries.
- Neeraj Mittal, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, [was appointed] as petroleum secretary, replacing Pankaj Jain.
- Amit Agrawal moves to the Department of Telecom.
- Manoj Joshi... will move to pharmaceuticals from the department of land resources.
- V Vidyarthi will move from tourism to the department of empowerment of persons with disabilities.
- Srivatsa Krishna [will replace V Vidyarthi] in tourism.
- Atish Chandra... has been named officer on special duty in the department of agriculture and farmers welfare, and will take over as secretary at the end of Feb, when Devesh Chaturvedi retires.
- Pankaj Jain, who was named member secretary of the Eighth Pay Commission.
- Chennai Port Trust chairman Sunil Paliwal has been named chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India.
- Praveer Ranjan, a 1993-batch IPS officer of AGMUT cadre, was appointed as the Director General (DG) of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
- Praveer Ranjan was presently working as Special DG, CISF before his appointment as DG.
- Praveen Kumar, a 1993-batch IPS officer of West Bengal cadre, was appointed as the Director General (DG) of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).
- Praveen Kumar was presently working as Special Director, IB before his appointment as DG.
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved these proposals from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Both officers will take charge upon the retirement of the current chiefs on September 30.
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery observed on December 2
Key Updates:
- International Day for the Abolition of Slavery is observed on December 2 each year.
- The date marks the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (resolution 317(IV) on December 2, 1949).
- In 1986 the UN officially designated December 2 as the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Theme 2025: “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response,”
- World AIDS Day is the first global day dedicated to a health issue.
- World AIDS Day was created by the World Health Organization in 1988.
- The U.S. has marked World AIDS Day since 1988.
- President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) was launched in 2003.
- International Students’ Day is commemorated on 17 November each year.
- The day traces its origin to the 1939 Prague crackdown when Nazi forces executed nine student leaders and sent over 1,200 students to concentration camps.
- In 1941, the International Students’ Council in London officially proclaimed 17 November as International Students’ Day with support from more than 50 nations.
- National Integration Day is observed on November 19th.
- The day commemorates the birth anniversary of former Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi.
- Indira Gandhi was the first female prime minister of India.
- The observance extends into a week-long ‘Qaumi Ekta’ [National Integration] week from November 19th to 25th.
- The primary goal of National Integration Day is to foster a sense of unity, peace, and brotherhood among all citizens.
- Activities like the Inter State Youth Exchange Programme (ISYEP) are conducted to encourage interaction among young people.
- International Day for Tolerance is observed annually on November 16.
- In 1995, UNESCO adopted the UNESCO Declaration of Principles on Tolerance.
- The UN General Assembly (UNGA) invited UN member states to observe the International Day for Tolerance on November 16 the following year.
- The International Day for Tolerance reminds the world to embrace diversity, reject discrimination, and promote peace, compassion, education, and peaceful coexistence for all.
- To highlight the cause of peaceful coexistence and non-violence, the UN established in 1995, the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence.
- This award is given to people who promote a spirit of non-violence and tolerance, in scientific, artistic, cultural and communication fields.
- Madanjeet Singh, born in 1924, at Lahore, devoted his life to creating communal harmony and peace and was even made the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
Sanchar Saathi App Pre-installation Mandate
Key Updates:
- The Department of Telecom mandates pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all new smartphones under the Telecommunications (Telecom Cyber Security) Rules, 2024.
- Manufacturers must ensure the pre-installed Sanchar Saathi application is readily visible and accessible with functionalities not disabled or restricted.
- Users are free to uninstall or delete the Sanchar Saathi app if they do not wish to use it.
- The app is designed to protect users from cyber frauds.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Scheme Names: SPREE-2025 (Scheme for Promoting Registration of Employers and Employees) and AMNESTY Scheme-2025
- Implementing Agency: Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), Ministry of Labour & Employment
- SPREE-2025 Operational Period: “will remain operational till 31st December 2025”
- AMNESTY Scheme-2025 Validity: “from 1st October 2025 to 30th September 2026”
- SPREE-2025 Objective: “bring more workers under the ambit of social security while providing industries with relief from the burden of litigation”
- AMNESTY Scheme-2025 Objective: “settle issues related to damages, interest, and coverage under the ESI Act” and “provide employers with an opportunity to resolve pending disputes”
- Key Feature of SPREE-2025: Registration allowed “without the demand of old dues” and newly registered employees “start receiving ESI health and social security benefits from the date of registration itself”
- The Supreme Court upheld the Allahabad High Court guidelines mandating that 'No arrest or police action shall be made before the lapse of two months from the lodging of the FIR or complaint under Section 498A IPC.'
- During the cooling-off period 'the matter must be referred to a Family Welfare Committee (FWC)' set up under the District Legal Services Authority.
- The Court directed that 'FWC members cannot be called as witnesses' and that 'all complaints under 498A IPC shall be sent to the Family Welfare Committee before any police action.'
- Investigating Officers 'must be trained in matrimonial disputes and act with utmost sincerity and transparency.'
- In Shivangi Bansal vs. Sahib Bansal the parties reached 'an amicable resolution' leading the Court to quash 'all civil and criminal proceedings between the parties' and dissolve the marriage under Article 142.
- The Supreme Court struck down key provisions of the 2021 Tribunals Reforms law, also known as the Tribunals Reforms (Rationalisation and Conditions of Service) Act, 2021.
- The law 'overhauled the functioning, structure and service conditions of tribunals across the country'.
- The court invalidated Section 3, which 'mandated a minimum age of 50 years for appointment as a chairperson or member of a tribunal'.
- Section 5 of the Act, which 'fixed the tenure of chairpersons and members of tribunals at four years', was also set aside.
- The selection procedure for appointments in tribunals under Section 3, which 'required the Search-cum-Selection Committee (SCSC) to recommend a panel of two names for every vacancy', was set aside.
- The bench also did not approve Section 7 of the Act, which 'equated the allowances and service conditions of tribunal members with those of civil servants'.
- The Supreme Court directed the Centre 'to constitute a national tribunals commission within four months'.
- The creation of such a commission is 'designed to ensure independence, transparency, and uniformity in the appointment, administration, and functioning of tribunals across the country'.
- The verdict 'reinstated the five-year tenure rule to ensure security of service and institutional independence'.
- The bench ruled that the SCSC 'should recommend only one name per post to curb excessive executive discretion in appointments'.
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carries out high-speed rocket-sled test of fighter aircraft escape system at 800 km/h
Key Updates:
- The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully carried out a high-speed rocket-sled test of a fighter aircraft escape system at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory (TBRL) in Chandigarh.
- The test achieved a controlled velocity of 800 km/h, validating canopy severance, ejection sequencing and full aircrew recovery.
- The test was conducted in collaboration with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
- The system carried the forebody of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
- A dual-sled system with the LCA aircraft forebody was propelled to precisely controlled velocity through phased firing of multiple solid-propellant rocket motors.
- The canopy-fragilisation pattern, ejection sequence and complete aircrew-recovery process were simulated using an instrumented Anthropomorphic Test Dummy.
- DRDO established the four-kilometre Rail Track Rocket Sled Penta Rail Supersonic Track at TBRL in 2014.
- ISRO has previously used the facility for Rail Track Rocket Sled deployment tests of the Gaganyaan pilot parachutes and Apex Cover Separation parachutes in cluster configuration.
Similar / Past Coverage
- ISRO validated the Gaganyaan crew module’s parachute system under an asymmetric two-main-chute scenario released from an IAF IL-76 at 2.5 km altitude over Babina Field Firing Range, Uttar Pradesh.
- The 7.2-tonne capsule mass simulator demonstrated structural integrity and stable descent when only two of the three main parachutes were intentionally deployed.
- Gaganyaan’s parachute suite comprises 10 chutes: two for heat-shield separation, two drogue chutes, three pilot chutes, and three main chutes—only two of which need to function for safe landing.
- The test specifically examined load distribution during asymmetric disreefing, described by ISRO as “one of the most critical load scenarios expected during an actual mission descent.”
- Three uncrewed test flights will follow, each carrying the half-humanoid robot Vyomitra (“space friend”) to gather data ahead of the first crewed mission targeted for early 2027.
- ISRO successfully demonstrated the boot-strap mode start test of the CE20 Cryogenic engine.
- The CE20 engine powers the upper stage of the Launch Vehicle Mark -3 (LVM3) rocket.
- The test was conducted for 10 seconds under vacuum conditions at the High-Altitude Test (HAT) facility at ISRO Propulsion Complex, Mahendragiri on November 7.
- The CE20 cryogenic engine is already qualified for operation at thrust levels between 19 and 22 tonnes with a single start in flight and is cleared for use in the Gaganyaan missions.
- Under normal conditions, the engine ignition begins under tank head pressure, followed by a turbopump start up using a stored gas start-up system.
- For future missions, multiple in-flight restarts of the CE20 engine will be required for mission flexibility, towards multi-orbit missions.
- With the current configuration, each restart requires an additional start-up gas bottle and associated systems, leading to a reduction in vehicle payload capability.
- Achieving boot-strap mode start, where the engine builds up to steady operation without external start-up assistance, is essential.
- During the test, a multi-element igniter was employed in both the thrust chamber and gas generator to facilitate boot-strap starting.
- In this test, following the ignition of the thrust chamber, the gas generator was ignited under tank head conditions, and the turbopumps were started without the use of the start-up system.
- Boot-strap mode build-up and steady-state operation of the engine were successfully demonstrated.
- ISRO has successfully demonstrated boot-strap mode starting of a gas-generator cycle cryogenic engine without any auxiliary start-up system, perhaps for the first time in the world.
- This achievement is a significant milestone towards enhancing the restart capability and mission flexibility of future LVM3 flights.
- Technology: Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with hybrid rocket thrusters
- Institution: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) Department of Aerospace Engineering
- Key Finding: Hybrid rocket motors demonstrated feasible touchdown velocity for 'soft landing' via hardware-in-the-loop simulation
- Researchers: Prof. PA Ramakrishna, Dr Joel George Manathara, Anandu Bhadran
- Publication: International Journal of Aeronautical and Space Sciences
Coupang Data Breach Exposes Data of 33.7 Million South Korean Customer Accounts
Key Updates:
- Coupang became aware of the unauthorised access of personal data of about 4,500 customer accounts.
- Some 33.7 million customer accounts - all in South Korea - were likely exposed.
- The breach is believed to have begun as early as June through a server based overseas.
- The exposed data is limited to name, email address, phone number, shipping address and some order histories.
- No credit card information or login credentials were leaked.
- Coupang had nearly 25 million active users.
Similar / Past Coverage
- MeitY notifies digital personal data protection Rules, 2025, beginning a phased rollout of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
- The framework sets clear rules for how companies, digital platforms, and government bodies must collect, store, process, and manage the personal data of individuals (“Data Principals”).
- The operational rules specify a phased rollout: general duties, grievance redressal provisions, and other foundational obligations under Rules 1, 2, and 17‑21 are effective immediately; the registration and governance of Consent Managers under Rule 4 will be applicable one year from notification; and the detailed notice formats, security measures, processing conditions, data retention norms, and remaining operational rules under Rules 3, 5‑16, 22‑23 will apply in full after 18 months.
- A significant addition through the new rules is the establishment of a formal framework for Consent Managers, who must be registered with the Data Protection Board and comply with governance, transparency, and security requirements.
- The Rules also lay down standards for encryption, masking, tokenisation, access controls, activity logging, backup systems, and business-continuity planning, making these safeguards mandatory for all fiduciaries.
- In the event of a data breach, fiduciaries must provide immediate intimation to the Board and deliver a fuller report within 72 hours while simultaneously informing affected users about the nature of the breach, potential harm, and mitigation steps.
- The Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act is India’s first full-scale privacy law, introducing explicit and affirmative consent for data processing and codifying a clear set of rights for individuals, including withdrawing consent, correcting or erasing data, and seeking timely grievance redressal.
- The Act also requires mandatory breach notifications to both regulators and affected users and imposes steep penalties up to Rs 250 crore for violations.
- Malaysia plans to ban social media for users under the age of 16 starting next year.
- Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil stated the government is reviewing mechanisms used to impose age restrictions for social media use in Australia and other nations.
- The government hopes social media platforms will comply with the decision to bar those under the age of 16 from opening user accounts by next year.
- The ban aims to protect young people from online harms such as cyberbullying, financial scams, and child sexual abuse.
- The effects of social media on children’s health and safety have become a growing global concern.
- Companies including TikTok, Snapchat, Google, and Meta Platforms are facing lawsuits in the United States over their role in fueling a mental health crisis.
- In Australia, social media platforms are poised to deactivate accounts registered to users under 16 next month.
- France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Greece are jointly testing a template for an age verification app.
- Indonesia initially planned to set a minimum age for social media users but later required tech platforms to filter negative content and impose stronger age verification measures.
- Malaysia has put social media companies under greater scrutiny due to a claimed rise in harmful content, including online gambling and posts related to race, religion, and royalty.
- Platforms and messaging services with more than 8 million users in Malaysia are now required to obtain a license under a new regulation that came into effect in January.
- US import duties on South Korean products reduced from 25% to 15% under the new agreement.
- South Korea will build nuclear-powered submarines and establish new partnerships with the US in shipbuilding, AI, and the nuclear industry.
- South Korea commits to invest $350 billion in the United States, including $200 billion in cash and $150 billion for shipbuilding.
- Proposed by: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) through draft amendments to the IT Rules, 2021
- Objective: 'to curb user harm from AI-generated deepfakes and synthetically produced content' and ensure 'users can distinguish synthetic and authentic content'
- Key definition introduced: 'synthetically generated information' means 'information that is artificially or algorithmically created, generated, modified or altered using a computer resource, in a manner that appears reasonably authentic or true'
- Labelling requirement: synthetic content must carry a prominent label/identifier covering at least '10 per cent of the surface area of a visual display or, in the case of audio content, during the initial 10 per cent of its duration'
- Metadata obligation: intermediaries offering tools that create/modify synthetic content must embed 'a permanent unique metadata or identifier' and must not 'modify, suppress, or remove such labels or identifiers'
- Due-diligence on platforms: significant social media intermediaries (≥50 lakh users) must obtain user declaration on synthetic uploads, deploy 'reasonable and proportionate technical measures to verify such declarations', and label the content accordingly
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah launches e-Swathu 2.0: Rs 2,000 crore revenue boost
Key Updates:
- Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah launched the revamped digital platform e-Swathu 2.0.
- e-Swathu 2.0 is expected to generate up to Rs 2,000 crore revenue by regularising 95 lakh properties in gram panchayats across the state.
- Revenue is estimated to increase by Rs 1,778 crore, potentially up to Rs 2,000 crore with effective implementation.
- The portal enables residents to obtain digital e-khata documents (Forms 11A and 11B) quickly and transparently.
- All Panchayat property records will receive 11B accounts within 15 days of application, provided online and through Bapuji Centres.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Scheme Name: Amended Bharat Net Scheme; Implementing State: Punjab (first state to implement statewide)
- Objective: "provide broadband connectivity to all of the country’s Gram Panchayats besides the households and the institutions" and "envisions e – health & e – governance services in rural sectors"
- Key Feature: "internet and broadband services have been provided in the 43 shadow areas in the State with only one village remaining" and "By the end of November month, each and every village would be brought under the ambit of the scheme"
- Maharashtra government signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Starlink Satellite Communications Pvt Ltd to provide satellite-based internet services.
- Target regions include remote and underserved areas such as Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Washim and Dharashiv.
- Services will cover government institutions, rural communities and critical public infrastructure.
- The collaboration supports Maharashtra’s Digital Maharashtra mission and integrates with EV, coastal development and disaster resilience programmes.
- Maharashtra becomes the first Indian state to formally partner with Starlink for satellite-enabled digital infrastructure.
- The Telecom Centres of Excellence TCoE has signed agreements with leading implementation partners to roll out the Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot.
- The initiative is designed to seamlessly integrate physical infrastructure with digital services across rural communities, leveraging BharatNet connectivity to deliver essential citizen-centric services, bridging the urban-rural digital divide and driving sustainable development at the grassroots level.
- The Samriddh Gram Phygital Services Pilot represents a bold new model of “phygital transformation,” merging physical presence with digital platforms.
- The Department of Telecommunications DoT has identified three pilot villages for this initiative: Chaksu, Rajasthan; Khatav, Maharashtra; and Kolar, Karnataka.
- Each of these villages will host a Samriddhi Kendra—a state-of-the-art integrated service hub that serves as the focal point for local citizens to access digital education, healthcare, governance, and economic opportunities.
- Each Samriddhi Kendra will act as a comprehensive service hub, integrating multiple sectors through digital innovation, including Education and Skilling, Agriculture, Healthcare, e-Governance, E-Commerce and Entrepreneurship, Financial Inclusion, and Connectivity Backbone.
- The implementation partners for the pilot include: Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M), Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IIT-D), Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A), Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B), Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIM-C), National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM), and National Institute of Smart Governance (NISG).
- Following successful implementation and impact evaluation, the model is expected to be scaled up nationwide, with plans to establish hundreds of Samriddhi Kendras across India’s 6 lakh villages.
Sudan Approves Agreement Enabling Russia to Build First Naval Base in Africa
Key Updates:
- Sudan has approved a landmark agreement allowing Russia to set up its first naval base in Africa.
- The new facility will be a logistics support centre located near Port Sudan along the Red Sea.
- Around 12 percent of global trade passes through the Red Sea and Suez Canal.
- Under the pact, Russia can deploy up to 300 personnel and host four naval vessels, including nuclear-powered ships.
- The agreement spans 25 years with automatic 10-year extensions.
- The pact was first outlined in 2017 and signed in 2020.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Saudi Arabia formally designated as a major non-NATO ally of the United States
- US approves future deliveries of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia; kingdom agrees to purchase 300 American tanks
- Saudi Arabia commits almost $1 trillion investment in the US, including $142bn for F-35 procurement
- Joint declaration signed on completion of civil-nuclear energy cooperation negotiations
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman repeats Saudi condition for joining Abraham Accords: securing a clear path to a two-state solution
- India ready to extend $200 million Line of Credit to Angola for defence cooperation: 'We are in the middle of discussions with Angola now to finalise the LOC agreement.'
- Energy partnership accounts for ~80% of $5 billion India-Angola trade: 'we have about $5 billion in trade with Angola, out of which 80 per cent is in the energy sector.'
- India engaging African partners, including Angola, under National Critical Minerals Mission: 'India is engaging with its African partners in critical minerals...through joint ventures, processing some minerals together.'
- At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin will pay a State visit to India from December 4 to 5 for the 23rd India-Russia annual summit.
- India is looking at procuring additional batches of S-400 surface-to-air missile systems from Russia as the weapons proved to be very effective during the Operation Sindoor.
- In October 2018, India signed a USD 5 billion deal with Russia to buy five units of the S-400 air defence missile systems.
- Three squadrons have already been delivered and the remaining two are expected to be sent by the middle of next year.
- There is a possibility that India may hold talks on buying at least two squadrons of the Su-57 fighter jets.
- Russia has offered India additional discounts for its procurement of crude oil after the latest wave of US sanctions on two Russian oil producers.
- Treaty name: Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ agreement)
- Coverage: “two-thirds of the world’s ocean area that lies beyond national boundaries”
- Ratification milestone: Morocco and Sierra Leone became the 60th and 61st parties, crossing the 60-ratification threshold
- Entry into force: 17 January 2026
- Key objectives: “establishes legally binding rules to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity, share benefits from marine genetic resources more fairly, create protected areas, and strengthen scientific cooperation and capacity building”
India to induct third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) INS Aridhaman soon: Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi
Key Updates:
- India will soon induct its third nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), INS Aridhaman.
- INS Arighaat, the second SSBN, was commissioned into the Strategic Forces Command in Visakhapatnam in August.
- Once INS Aridhaman enters service, India will have three operational ballistic missile submarines at sea for the first time.
- INS Aridhaman is undergoing advanced trials.
- INS Aridhaman is designed to carry more long-range nuclear-tipped missiles than predecessors INS Arihant and INS Arighaat.
- A fourth SSBN is currently under construction.
- Upcoming submarines have the capacity to load additional K-4 missiles due to their larger build.
- The four platforms are part of the classified Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project launched in the 1990s with an outlay of over ₹90,000 crore.
- China operates six Jin-class SSBNs equipped with JL-3 missiles (10,000-km range) and six SSNs.
- The US has 14 Ohio-class SSBNs and 53 nuclear attack submarines.
Similar / Past Coverage
- The upcoming 23rd India-Russia annual summit is scheduled for December.
- The summit is expected to significantly advance bilateral cooperation in civil nuclear energy, with a special focus on small and modular reactors (SMRs) and greater localisation of nuclear plant equipment.
- Discussions ahead of the summit involved Rosatom director general Alexei Likhachev and Ajit Kumar Mohanty, director general of the department of atomic energy (DAE).
- A detailed review of progress at the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu was conducted.
- Units 1 and 2 of KNPP were connected to India’s national power grid in 2013 and 2016.
- Units 5 and 6 — part of the project’s third phase — are actively under construction.
- Pakistan is set to induct the first of eight Chinese-built Hangor-class submarines in 2026, marking a pivotal step in its naval modernisation.
- Valued at nearly $5 billion, the deal deepens China-Pakistan defence ties and Islamabad will receive eight Hangor-class diesel-electric attack submarines by 2028.
- The first four vessels are being built in China, while the remaining four will be constructed at Karachi Shipyard & Engineering Works in Pakistan to boost the country’s indigenous shipbuilding capability.
- The Hangor-class submarines are equipped with four diesel engines and an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system that allows extended underwater endurance, enabling them to remain submerged for up to 15 to 20 days.
- The design includes six 21-inch torpedo tubes capable of launching torpedoes and anti-ship missiles, including the Babur-3 subsonic cruise missile, which has a range of 450 kilometres.
- Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shows that between 2020 and 2024, Pakistan accounted for more than 60 per cent of China’s total arms exports, making it Beijing’s largest defence customer globally.
- The Indian Navy commissioned INS Mahe, its first indigenous Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC).
- INS Mahe was commissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai with over 80 per cent indigenous parts after two years of rigorous sea trials.
- Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi was the chief guest, marking the first time an Army Chief attended a naval commissioning ceremony.
- General Dwivedi stated that the induction of INS Mahe reflects the nation’s growing ability to design, construct, and deploy complex warships using indigenous technology.
- General Dwivedi emphasized that the strength of armed forces lies in synergy, quoting Helen Keller: "Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much."
- He highlighted that the sea, land, and the skies form a single continuum of national security, and together, the Army-Navy and Air Force form the trinity of India’s strategic strength.
- INS Mahe is the first of the Mahe-class ASW-SWCs, described as sleek, swift, and resolutely Indian.
- INS Mahe will operate as a “silent hunter” on the western seaboard, dedicated to safeguarding India’s maritime frontiers.
- The ship’s construction began at the Cochin Shipyard, with the steel-cutting ceremony held in December 2020, keel laying on August 30, 2022, launch in November 2023, first sea sortie in May this year, and handover to the Navy on October 23.
- The ship is named after Mahe, a serene coastal enclave on the Malabar coast that forms part of the Union Territory of Puducherry.
- An earlier Soviet-built coastal minesweeper, also named INS Mahe, entered service in 1983 and was decommissioned in 2006 after 23 years of service.
- The vessel commissioned is INS Ikshak.
- Ikshak is the third such indigenously designed and built survey vessel large SVL.
- It will assist the Indian Navy map the ocean floor for navigation, submarine operations and collecting data for maritime safety and strategy.
- Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi commissions INS Ikshak.
- The ship was built by state-owned Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Kolkata.
- The ship is 110 metres long, has a displacement of 3,400 tonnes, and will carry a crew of 231, including 20 officers.
- Ikshak is equipped with the latest hydrographic and oceanographic systems that can scan to a depth of 11,000 meters.
- The vessel carries nearly 80 per cent indigenous content.
- It is the first SVL designed with dedicated accommodation for women on deck.
Inika Mazumder becomes National champion in Kyokushin Full Contact Karate
Key Updates:
- Inika Mazumder won gold medals in both Kihon and Kumite at the National Kyokushin Full Contact Championship.
- Inika Mazumder clinched the Gold Medal in Kihon.
- Inika Mazumder won the National Champion title in Kumite.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Giovanna de Sequeira earned international acclaim, winning bronze medal at the World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Abu Dhabi, competing in the below 28kg Infant/Girls Gi category.
- The ten-year-old demonstrated remarkable determination, technical skill, and composure on the global stage to finish among the top three.
- Giovanna’s achievement is even more significant considering her recent recovery from a knee surgery just five months ago.
- Britain's Andrea Thompson has been crowned World's Strongest Woman.
- American athlete Jammie Booker was disqualified as the 2025 World's Strongest Woman.
- Organisers stated Jammie Booker was disqualified after they discovered she is “biologically male”.
- Australian Allira-Joy Cowley has been given the second place in the Women's Open at the Official Strongman Games World Championship.
- The event took place in Texas.
- Official Strongman stated they ensure fairness and athletes are assigned to men or women’s categories based on whether they are recorded as male or female at birth.
- Indo-Thai pair Niki Poonacha and Pruchya Isaro beat Japan’s Shunsuke Nakagawa and Yusuke Kusuhara 6-4, 6-3 in the Asia-Pacific wild card play-off final.
- The final was held at the Sichuan International Tennis Centre in Chengdu, China.
- The victory secures the pair a men’s doubles main-draw spot in the Australian Open 2026.
- Namitbir Singh Walia secured the fourth overall position at the 3rd Annemasse International Masters Tournament in France.
- He is the second player from Punjab to earn the International Master title, after Dushyant Sharma.
- Walia won the Senior State FIDE Rating Open Chess Championship earlier this year.
Manali Makarand Kshirsagar appointed as first woman Vice-Chancellor of Nagpur University (NU).
Key Updates:
- Manali Makarand Kshirsagar is an NU alumna with a PhD in computer science.
- She holds an MBA in finance and marketing.
- She is currently director-technical and adviser at Nagpur’s Yeshwantrao Chavan College of Engineering.
- Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat made the announcement of her appointment.
- Her tenure will be for five years.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru RCB on Thursday named former Tamil Nadu spinner Malolan Rangarajan as the head coach of their women's team ahead of the fourth WPL season next year.
- Rangarajan replaces Luke Williams, who was appointed as head coach in 2024.
- Malolan Rangarajan, a key member of the RCB support staff for the last six years in various roles, has now been appointed as head coach for the upcoming WPL cycle.
- He served as the assistant coach during their title-winning season in 2024.
- The WPL is being a held a month earlier than usual in 2026 -- from January to February.
- Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais has made history as the first woman to lead UN Tourism.
- Her four-year term begins in January 2026, marking a significant achievement for the UAE and its commitment to women's empowerment and global leadership in the sector.
- Her nomination was confirmed during the 123rd UN Tourism Executive Council session held in Segovia, Spain, where she secured a majority vote.
- Shaikha Al Nowais becomes the first woman to lead the organization since its establishment 50 years ago in 1975.
- Key positions that prepared her for this historic role include Corporate Vice President at Rotana Hotels and Chair of the Abu Dhabi Chamber’s Tourism Working Group.
- She has articulated a comprehensive Five-Pillar Vision designed to transform the tourism sector: Responsible Tourism, Capacity Building, Technology for Good, Innovative Financing, and Smart Governance.
- Michelle Bachelet is the first and only woman President of Chile.
- She is a former Chief of UN Human Rights and served as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights from 2018 to 2022.
- She also served as the first executive director of UN Women from 2010 to 2013.
- Sushila Karki appointed as interim Prime Minister of Nepal by President Ram Chandra Poudel
- Previously served as the only woman chief justice, leading the Supreme Court from 2016 to 2017
- Tasked with organizing fresh elections within six months amid crisis following deadly youth-led protests
7th India International Seaweed Expo and Summit | January 29-30
Key Updates:
- The 7th India International Seaweed Expo and Summit 2026 will be hosted by the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute.
- Jointly organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC), CMFRI, and the CSIR–Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute (CSMCRI).
- Expects participation from countries including Brazil, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands.
- Key feature will be the 'Seaweed 2030' panel presenting a national roadmap.
Similar / Past Coverage
- The Cochin Port Authority and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
- The MoU is to establish LNG bunkering facilities for LNG-powered and dual-fuel vessels.
- The proposed project involves an estimated investment of ₹500 crore.
- The MoU was signed during the India Maritime Week 2025 held in Mumbai.
- The collaboration aims to position Kochi as a leading LNG bunkering hub on the South Indian coast.
- World Fisheries Day 2025 will be celebrated on 21st of this month at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in New Delhi.
- The theme for this year is India’s Blue Transformation: Strengthening Value Addition in Seafood Exports.
- The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying stated that the event will host participants from across the country and abroad, with delegations from nearly 27 countries attending the event, underscoring country’s deepening global partnerships in the Blue Economy.
- The Department of Fisheries will launch a national traceability framework.
- The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is held in Goa.
- The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) runs from November 20 to 28.
- The theme of the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is 'Creativity & Technology'.
- Japan is the country of focus at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
- For the first time, a grand opening float parade takes place at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) on November 20.
- The first Northeast India Organic Week was inaugurated on November 29, 2025.
- The event was organised in partnership with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the Union Commerce Ministry and IFOAM-Organics Asia.
- Delegates and buyers from 13 countries attended Meghalaya’s inaugural Northeast India Organic Week.
- Meghalaya Agriculture Commissioner and Secretary is Dr Vijay Kumar D.
- Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) chairman is Abhishek Dev.
- IFOAM-Organics Asia executive director is Jennifer Chang.
- Meghalaya Chief Minister is Conrad K Sangma.
- Meghalaya is the second fastest growing state behind Tamil Nadu.
- Lakadong turmeric has up to 13 per cent curcumin content.
- A new ginger processing unit worth Rs 25 crore has been set up as the largest organic spice processing facility in the Northeast.
- The eighth edition of the National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) was highlighted.
- The ‘Green Meghalaya’ initiative focuses on ongoing climate action efforts.
- GI-tagged Khasi mandarins have made inroads into Gulf markets through the Lulu Group.
Vizhinjam Port defers gateway cargo operations to January 2026
Key Updates:
- Vizhinjam International Container Transhipment Terminal deferred Exim operations earlier planned for November 1 due to technical issues.
- Revised target date for commencement of gateway cargo operations is January 2026.
- Gate opening will pave the way for cargoes originating from South Indian sectors to get direct connectivity to ports across the world.
- Direct liner connectivity from Vizhinjam to major trading sectors will substantially reduce the cost of shipping.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Technology: Full-electric tug integration package supplied by Kongsberg Maritime, comprising permanent-magnet azimuth thrusters, energy-storage system, automation & control (K-Chief), and digital solutions (Vessel Insight).
- Vessel specs: 60-ton bollard-pull tug designed by NavNautik India, scheduled for delivery and commissioning in Q4 2026.
- Contract awarded to: Mandovi Drydocks in partnership with Ripley Group.
- Deployment location: Deendayal Port (Kandla), Gujarat, under India’s Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP).
- Support: Lifecycle operational support provided by Kongsberg Maritime India’s Global Customer Support team.
- Indian Institute of Technology, Madras researchers have developed and deployed India's first indigenous vessel traffic management system for ports.
- The system has been developed by the National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC) at IIT Madras based on the requirements outlined by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
- The system has already been implemented in Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL), Kerala.
- The indigenous system eliminates the risk of a leak of strategic data on the movement of vessels.
- The system is scalable to accommodate deployment in more ports with enhanced capabilities and is completely secure, with minimal deployment and maintenance costs.
- Visakhapatnam Port Authority and the Government of Andhra Pradesh signed an MoU for a ‘major port cum ship building and ship repair cluster’ at Dugarajapatnam with an investment commitment of ₹29,662 crore.
- VPA signed a ₹3,000 crore MoU with MECON India for developing modern stack yards and railway sidings.
- VPA partnered with NBCC under a ₹500-crore self-financing scheme for monetisation and integrated development of underutilised land in Harbour Park.
- VPA entered into a ₹487.38 crore collaboration with HUDCO for mechanisation and modernisation of cargo berths.
- VPA signed a ₹535-crore MoU with Rail Vikas Nigam Limited for developing internal flyovers within the port premises.
- Collectively, the MoUs announced at India Maritime Week-2025 are set to attract over ₹39,216 crore in new investments.
- Total outlay: Rs 34,200 crore — over Rs 26,000 crore for Gujarat projects and over Rs 7,800 crore for pan-India maritime initiatives.
- Maritime initiatives include Mumbai International Cruise Terminal at Indira Dock, new container terminal at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Kolkata, multi-cargo facility at Tuna Tekra, coastal protection works at Chennai & Car Nicobar, and ship-repair hubs at Patna & Varanasi.
- Gujarat projects inaugurated/founded: HPLNG Regasification Terminal at Chhara Port, 600 MW renewable-energy project, complete solarisation of Dhordo village, hospital expansions in Bhavnagar & Jamnagar, new highway works, additional LNG infrastructure and urban-transport projects.
Rapper Poorstacy passed away at 26
Key Updates:
- Poorstacy was a talented emo rapper known for his genre-bending music and collaborations.
- His real name was Carlito Junior Milfort.
- He was born on March 15, 1999, in Palm Beach, Florida.
- Authorities responded to an incident at a Boca Raton hotel where he was found on November 29.
- Palm Beach County Medical Examiner announced his death.
- He released his debut EP titled ‘I Don’t Care’ in 2019.
- His following release was the 2020 album ‘The Breakfast Club’.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Lee Soon-jae died on Tuesday at the age of 91, according to his agency.
- He was known as the 'national TV dad' for roles in 'What on Earth is Love' and 'High Kick!'.
- He won the grand prize at the KBS Drama Awards for 'Dog Knows Everything'.
- He was the oldest South Korean actor to win the KBS Drama grand prize.
- Lee appeared in about 140 TV shows and acted on stage until October 2024.
- He served as a member of parliament for the Democratic Liberal Party from 1992 to 1996.
- Gramma, estimated to be about 141 years old, died on November 20.
- She arrived at the San Diego Zoo from the Bronx Zoo in either 1928 or 1931 as part of the zoo's first group of Galápagos tortoises.
- She was euthanized after suffering from bone conditions related to her old age that had progressed recently.
- Todd Snider, a beloved figure in American roots music, died at age 59.
- His label announced the death on Saturday, stating he had been hospitalized with pneumonia in Hendersonville, Tennessee.
- Snider's recent tour was cancelled after he was assaulted in the Salt Lake City area and later arrested following an incident at a hospital.
- Harman Sidhu, 36, died after his car collided with a canter truck in Punjab’s Mansa district.
- He was best known for the 2007 duet “Paper Te Payar” with Miss Pooja.
- Other popular songs include “Mela”, “Sari Raat Parhdi”, “Thakevan Jattan Da” and “Pai Gaya Payar”.
Saudi Arabia-Russia Mutual Visa Exemption Agreement signed on December 1, 2025
Key Updates:
- Saudi Arabia and Russia have signed a historic mutual visa exemption agreement allowing citizens of both countries to stay visa free for up to 90 days.
- The agreement covers all passport types for tourism, business, and visiting relatives.
- Russia becomes the first country with which Saudi Arabia has signed a mutual visa exemption agreement that includes holders of regular passports.
- The agreement was signed by His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, and His Excellency Alexander Novak, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Saudi Arabia formally designated as a major non-NATO ally of the United States
- US approves future deliveries of F-35 stealth fighter jets to Saudi Arabia; kingdom agrees to purchase 300 American tanks
- Saudi Arabia commits almost $1 trillion investment in the US, including $142bn for F-35 procurement
- Joint declaration signed on completion of civil-nuclear energy cooperation negotiations
- Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman repeats Saudi condition for joining Abraham Accords: securing a clear path to a two-state solution
- A summit of the coalition of the willing was held in Paris.
- The summit took place on September 4, 2025.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff were in attendance, with US President Donald Trump joining via video call.
- 26 countries, including European nations, Canada, Australia, and Japan, formally committed to deploy troops as a 'reassurance force' in Ukraine after fighting ends.
- These troops would not be deployed 'on the front line' and would aim to 'prevent any new major aggression'.
- US President Donald Trump 'emphasised' that European countries must stop purchasing Russian oil, specifically mentioning Hungary and Slovakia.
- The European Union imposed a ban on most oil imports from Russia in 2022, with an exception for imports to Slovakia and Hungary.
- The European Commission has proposed legislation to phase out EU imports of Russian oil and gas by January 1, 2028.
- The Trump administration has imposed tariffs on India for buying Russian oil.
- Saudi Arabia has officially dismantled its 50-year-old Kafala system, a labor sponsorship framework that tied migrant workers to employers.
- This groundbreaking reform, effective June 2025, impacts approximately 13 million foreign workers.
- The new system allows migrant workers to change employers without needing their current employer’s approval, leave the country without an exit visa, and access vital legal protections.
- The Kafala system, Arabic for 'sponsorship,' emerged in the Gulf states around the 1950s.
- The reform is part of Saudi Arabia's broader Vision 2030 initiative.
- Agreement Name: Bilateral Haj Agreement.
- Parties: India and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Key Provision: India's Haj quota for 2026 has been confirmed at 175,025.
- Objective: To ensure a smooth and comfortable pilgrimage experience by improving facilities, transportation, accommodation, and health services for Indian pilgrims.
- Signatories: Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju (India) and Saudi Minister of Hajj and Umrah, Tawfiq bin Fawzan Al Rabiah (Saudi Arabia).
World Health Organization (WHO) Issues First Guideline on GLP-1 Weight-Loss Medicines, Recognizes Obesity as Chronic Disease
Key Updates:
- WHO issued its first guideline on GLP-1 therapies including liraglutide, semaglutide and tirzepatide.
- Obesity affects more than one billion people worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million deaths in 2024.
- WHO recognizes obesity as a chronic disease requiring comprehensive and lifelong care.
- GLP-1 therapies mimic a natural hormone that helps regulate appetite, blood sugar and digestion.
- WHO recommends conditional long-term use of GLP-1 therapies for adults living with obesity, except during pregnancy.
- WHO added GLP-1 therapies to its Essential Medicines List in 2025 for managing type 2 diabetes in high-risk groups.
Similar / Past Coverage
- WHO 24th Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) and 10th Model List for Children (EMLc) add PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors (atezolizumab, cemiplimab, pembrolizumab) for metastatic cervical, colorectal and non-small-cell lung cancers.
- GLP-1 receptor agonists dulaglutide, semaglutide, liraglutide and dual GLP-1/GIP agonist tirzepatide are now listed for adults with type 2 diabetes plus cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease or obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²).
- Rapid-acting insulin analogues are newly included for treatment of type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes.
- Cystic-fibrosis combination therapy Trikafta (Kaftrio) from Vertex Pharmaceuticals is added to encourage wider global availability despite its high cost.
- The Expert Committee reviewed 59 applications, adding 20 new adult medicines, 15 paediatric medicines and seven new indications for already-listed drugs.
- World Diabetes Day is observed every year on November 14.
- The theme for World Diabetes Day 2025 is 'Diabetes Across Life Stages'.
- World Diabetes Day was established in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
- It became an official United Nations Day in 2006.
- The date was chosen to honour Sir Frederick Banting, who, along with Charles Best, co-discovered insulin in 1922.
- It is recognised as the world’s largest campaign to raise awareness about diabetes, reaching over one billion people across more than 160 countries.
- Alembic Pharmaceuticals received USFDA final approval for generic Dasatinib tablets in strengths 20 mg, 50 mg, 70 mg, 80 mg, 100 mg, and 140 mg
- The approved ANDA is therapeutically equivalent to Bristol-Myers Squibb Company’s reference listed drug Sprycel tablets
- Dasatinib tablets are indicated for adult patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in chronic phase
- The drug is also indicated for pediatric patients one year of age and older with Ph+ CML in chronic phase
- According to IQVIA data, the estimated market size for Dasatinib tablets is USD 1,017 million for the 12 months ended September 2025
- FDA approved linaclotide (Linzess) capsules for pediatric patients 7 years and older with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation
- Linzess is the first treatment approved for this condition in pediatric patients
- Approval supported by adult efficacy data and a 12-week trial in patients seven- to 17-years-old who met criteria for pediatric IBS-C
- Patients needed to show at least a 30% reduction in abdominal pain and at least two additional spontaneous bowel movements per week for at least six of the 12 weeks
- Diarrhea was the most commonly reported side effect in pediatric patients
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) receives 13.34 lakh complaints under RB-IOS in FY25 up 13.55%
Key Updates:
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) received 13,34,244 complaints under RB-IOS in FY25, up 13.55% from 11,75,075 previous year.
- Loans and Advances accounted for 29.25% of total complaints.
- Credit Cards contributed 17.15% of complaints, up 20.04% year-on-year.
- Mobile and electronic banking complaints stood at 16.86%, down 12.74%.
- Deposit Accounts made up 16.84% of complaints.
- ATM/debit cards accounted for 6.10% of complaints.
- Top five categories constituted 86.20% of all complaints.
- 91.22% of complaints lodged through online modes such as CMS and email.
- RBI Contact Centre handled 9.27 lakh calls, up 28.89%.
- Metropolitan regions contributed 45.86% of complaints.
- Rural areas accounted for 10.04% of complaints.
- RB-IOS launched on November 12, 2021.
Similar / Past Coverage
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) imposed a penalty of Rs 91 lakh on HDFC Bank.
- The penalty was for violating certain provisions of the Banking Regulation Act and non-compliance with certain directions.
- Deficiencies included those related to Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements.
- Non-compliance also pertained to ‘Interest Rate on Advances’ and ‘Guidelines on Managing Risks and Code of Conduct in Outsourcing of Financial Services by banks’.
- A Statutory Inspection for Supervisory Evaluation of HDFC Bank was conducted with reference to its financial position as on March 31, 2024.
- HDFC Bank adopted multiple benchmarks within the same loan category.
- HDFC Bank outsourced the function of determining compliance with KYC norms of certain customers to its outsourcing agents.
- A wholly-owned subsidiary of HDFC Bank undertook business not permissible under Section 6 of the Banking Regulation (BR) Act.
- The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has activated a dedicated category on the INGRAM portal to handle consumer queries and complaints related to GST.
- The helpline will share data and insights from consumer complaints with concerned companies, CBIC and other authorities to enable timely action under relevant laws.
- Consumers can lodge complaints in 17 languages via toll-free number 1915 or through multiple modes including WhatsApp, SMS, email, NCH app, web portal and Umang app.
- Senior forest officials, including the PCCF Wildlife, appeared before the Odisha Human Rights Commission regarding alleged inadequate compensation for families relocated from Satkosia Tiger Reserve.
- Complainants alleged that 'hundreds of families from five villages were relocated from the tiger reserve to other places without holding gram sabhas and conducting a proper survey.'
- The commission heard the case and asked officials to follow the rules; the order is yet to be uploaded on the OHRC website.
- The next hearing is scheduled for October 30.
- Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) K Sanjay Murthy stated that artificial intelligence and machine learning tools have already helped expose a large number of fraudulent cases in several states.
- Digitisation of auditing processes is now the CAG’s top priority to ensure remote audits, timely reporting and broader coverage including 100 per cent checks of GST and IT databases.
- CAG has successfully conducted remote audits of GST, stamp and registration, e-procurement, works audit and DBT schemes in some states and plans to roll out such audits across all departments with digitised records.
Amar Subramanya appointed as Vice President of AI at Apple
Key Updates:
- Amar Subramanya will report to Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering.
- He will lead critical areas, including Apple Foundation Models, ML research, and AI Safety and Evaluation.
- John Giannandrea will retire as Apple's current AI chief in 2026.
- He most recently served as corporate vice president of AI at Microsoft.
- He spent 16 years at Google, where he rose to head of engineering for Gemini.
Similar / Past Coverage
- IBM and AICTE collaborate to establish a state-of-the-art National AI Lab at AICTE Headquarters in New Delhi
- The lab will serve as a national hub for AI research, skilling, and innovation, equipped with advanced computing infrastructure and AI software platforms
- IBM SkillsBuild, offering over 1,000 free AI and technical courses, will be central to the initiative
- The collaboration supports IBM’s global commitment to skill 30 million people by 2030, including 2 million in AI by 2026
- The lab will provide training programs, in-person workshops, AI mentorship, project-based learning, and innovation challenges aligned with future skill needs in AI, cloud, and sustainability
- Reliance announced a new wholly-owned subsidiary, 'Reliance Intelligence,' aimed at accelerating India’s artificial intelligence capabilities and establishing the country as a global hub for AI innovation.
- Reliance Intelligence's missions include building 'gigawatt-scale, AI-ready data centres, powered by green energy' and delivering 'trusted, easy-to-use AI services for consumers, small businesses, and enterprises, and solutions for sectors of national importance.'
- The company unveiled new AI-powered products: 'JioPC,' described as a 'revolutionary product that transforms your TV, or any other screen, into a full-feature, AI‑ready computer,' and 'JioFrames,' an 'AI-powered wearable platform and ecosystem, made for India' with support for multiple Indian languages.
- Reliance announced partnerships with Google and Meta for AI initiatives, including establishing a 'Jamnagar Cloud region' with Google and an 'India-focused AI joint venture with our close partner, Meta' to combine open models and tools.
- Anant Ambani provided a preview of the 'Dhirubhai Ambani Giga Energy Complex' in Jamnagar, stating it 'will be unmatched globally in size, scale, and integration,' with '44 million square feet of building area – four times the Tesla Gigafactory' and '7 lakh tonnes of steel.'
- Reliance is developing 'one of the world’s largest single-site solar projects' in Kutch, Gujarat, spanning '5,50,000 acres of arid land – three times the size of Singapore,' which 'could meet nearly 10% of India’s electricity needs within the next decade.'
- The New Energy business is being built 'to make India self-sufficient in energy, and to resolve India's energy trilemma of security, affordability, and sustainability through world-scale giga manufacturing, through round-the-clock renewable electricity, and through green fuels and chemicals at global scale.'
- Jio introduced 'RIYA,' a new voice-enabled search assistant for JioStar, and 'Voice Print,' a technology for immersive storytelling that uses 'AI voice cloning and lip-sync technology' to allow stars to speak in Indian languages in their own voice.
- Google released Gemini 3, its latest and most advanced foundation model, immediately available through the Gemini app and AI search interface.
- Gemini 3 comes seven months after the Gemini 2.5 release and less than a week after OpenAI released GPT 5.1 and two months after Anthropic released Sonnet 4.5.
- A research-intensive version, Gemini 3 Deepthink, will be released to Google AI Ultra subscribers after further safety testing.
- Tulsee Doshi stated, 'With Gemini 3, we’re seeing this massive jump in reasoning.'
- Gemini 3 scored 37.4 on the Humanity’s Last Exam benchmark, the highest score on record, surpassing GPT-5 Pro’s previous high of 31.64.
- Gemini 3 topped the LMArena leaderboard, a human-led benchmark measuring user satisfaction.
- The Gemini app has more than 650 million monthly active users, and 13 million software developers have used the model in their workflow.
- Google also released Google Antigravity, a Gemini-powered coding interface that combines a prompt window, command-line interface, and browser window for agentic coding.
- DeepMind CTO Koray Kavukcuoglu said, 'The agent can work with your editor, across your terminal, across your browser to make sure that it helps you build that application in the best way possible.'
- Intellipaat has partnered with the IndiaAI Mission under MeitY to launch the 'YUVAi for ALL' programme aimed at making India AI-literate
- The initiative will provide free training on Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI to students, teachers, and professionals
- Participants will receive Government-recognized certification upon completion of the programme
- The programme includes AI awareness workshops, GenAI tool demonstrations, community learning drives, and foundation AI literacy e-learning videos
- The collaboration aligns with the Government's vision to empower 10 million citizens with essential AI skills by January 2026
UNDP report warns AI could widen gaps between rich and poor nations
Key Updates:
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report likens AI situation to the 'Great Divergence' of the industrial revolution.
- AI can lift productivity, spark new industries, and help latecomers catch up.
- AI offers better advice on farming, analysis of X-rays within seconds, faster medical diagnoses, more effective weather forecasts and damage assessments.
- AI systems that analyse poverty, health, and disaster risks enable faster, fairer, and more transparent decisions.
- Data centres may devour too large a share of electricity and water.
- Ramping up power generation to meet higher demand may hinder progress in limiting emissions of carbon from burning fossil fuels.
- Hackers use AI to automate portions of cyberattacks.
- Deepfakes can misinform or facilitate criminal activity.
- Asian nations including China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore are well placed to take advantage of AI tools.
- Afghanistan, the Maldives and Myanmar lack skills, reliable power and other resources needed to tap into AI.
- About a quarter of the Asia-Pacific region lacks online access.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the creation of a World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization to govern AI development and set international rules.
- Xi described AI as a 'public good for the international community' and emphasized it should benefit people in all countries and regions.
- Chinese officials indicated the proposed organization could be headquartered in Shanghai.
- Xi highlighted China's advances in AI through homegrown developers like DeepSeek, which have built lower-cost models as part of Beijing's drive for 'algorithmic sovereignty.'
- China will host the 2026 APEC summit in Shenzhen, a city Xi described as a symbol of China's economic transformation into a global center for robotics, electric vehicles, and high-tech manufacturing.
- World Trade Organisation forecasts AI could raise cross-border goods and services flows by nearly 40% by 2040 through productivity gains
- Global trade projected to rise 34-37% across scenarios based on policy and technological catch-up between income groups
- Digitally deliverable services trade, including AI services, expected to record largest growth at 42%
- Global trade in AI-enabling goods (raw materials, semiconductors, intermediate inputs) totalled $2.3 trillion in 2023
- Number of quantitative restrictions on AI-related goods jumped from 130 in 2012 to almost 500 in 2024
- AI could boost the value of cross-border flows of goods and services by nearly 40 per cent by 2040.
- Global trade is projected to rise by 34-37 per cent across different scenarios by 2040.
- Global GDP could see a 12-13 per cent increase across different scenarios by 2040.
- Global trade in AI-enabling goods totalled USD 2.3 trillion in 2023.
- Low-income economies would see a modest 8 per cent real-income growth from AI without digital improvements, rising to 15 per cent if the digital divide is narrowed.
- The number of quantitative restrictions on AI-related goods climbed from 130 in 2012 to nearly 500 in 2024.
- The IndiaAI Mission (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have announced a global call for abstracts.
- The call highlights impactful and scalable applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in health systems.
- Shortlisted entries will be invited to contribute a chapter to the Casebook on AI Health Use Cases Across the Global South.
- The Casebook, jointly developed by IndiaAI and WHO, is set to be launched at the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi in February.
- It will serve as a comprehensive reference for policymakers, innovators, and researchers seeking to replicate and scale successfully implemented AI solutions across the Global South.
- Researchers, innovators, and institutions from across the Global South are invited to submit abstracts by 31st October 2025.
- Selected contributors will submit full chapters, with the submission deadline for chapter entries set for 15th December.
- Selected entries will have the opportunity to be showcased at the India-AI Impact Summit 2026.
Integrated Health Information Platform for Near Real-time Disease Reporting
Key Updates:
- The Integrated Health Information Platform collects data from over 1.5 lakh health workers and facilities.
- It enables near real-time reporting of diseases from all levels of healthcare including ANMs, primary health centres, district hospitals, and tertiary care centres.
- The platform was started in the middle of the pandemic in 2021.
- An AI component scans news articles in 13 different languages for mentions of unusual clusters of diseases.
- The portal includes a section for community reporting of unusual health events by anyone.
Similar / Past Coverage
- The National Commission for Women (NCW) announced the launch of a new 24X7 short-code helpline, 14490.
- The launch was announced on Monday, November 24, 2025.
- The helpline provides quicker and more accessible support to women facing violence, harassment or any form of distress across the country.
- The NCW helpline will guide callers, coordinate with authorities, and facilitate timely intervention in emergencies.
- The toll-free number is linked to the commission’s existing helpline 7827170170 to ensure seamless assistance without any cost or delay.
Atal Bihari Vajpayee received Bharat Ratna
Key Updates:
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee served three terms as Prime Minister.
- He served a full term from 1999 to 2004.
- He was born on 25 December 1924 in Gwalior.
- December 25 is observed as Good Governance Day in India.
- Vajpayee’s tenure introduced landmark programmes such as the Kisan Credit Card, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and National Rural Health initiatives.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Indira Gandhi served as Prime Minister of India from January 1966 to March 1977 and again from January 1980 until her assassination on 31 October 1984
- Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi paid floral tributes at Shakti Sthal, her memorial in New Delhi
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi also posted tribute on X: 'Tributes to former PM Smt. Indira Gandhi Ji on the occasion of her birth anniversary'
- Bhupendra Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat, flagged off the 152-kilometre Rashtriya Ekta Yatra from Karamsad to Kevadia.
- The foot march commemorates Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 150th birth anniversary and will culminate in Ekta Nagar, Narmada district, on December 5.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated the march will inspire citizens to align their goals with the nation’s Viksit Bharat aim by 2047.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the year-long commemoration of the National Song, 'Vande Mataram'.
- The inauguration will take place at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on Friday.
- The commemoration will formally launch on Friday and run from November 7, 2025 to November 7, 2026.
- A commemorative stamp and coin will be released by the prime minister on the occasion.
- The celebrations will witness Mass Singing of the full version of 'Vande Mataram' across public places.
- 'Vande Mataram' was written by Bankimchandra Chatterji on November 7 in 1875.
- Bhupen Hazarika, Bharat Ratna awardee and music maestro, is being commemorated on his birth centenary.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nationwide tribute, stating on X that Hazarika 'brought global recognition to Assam’s folk culture and Indian music.'
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah noted on X that 'by conferring upon him the Bharat Ratna, PM Modi ensured that his legacy remains immortal.'
- Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge honoured Hazarika as 'a visionary musician, poet, lyricist, and filmmaker deeply rooted in the culture of Assam.'
World Health Organization (WHO) Recognizes Scromiting or Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS)
Key Updates:
- ‘Scromiting’ is a term coined by ER staff to describe Cannabinoid Hyperemesis Syndrome (CHS), combining ‘screaming’ and ‘vomiting’.
- CHS is characterised by repeated episodes of severe nausea, intense abdominal pain, and frequent vomiting.
- WHO added CHS to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) under ICD-10 family (R11.16) and ICD-11 (DD90.4).
- Long-term cannabis use leads to CHS.
- George Washington University researchers published findings on CHS burden in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.
- CHS occurs in chronic cannabis users and causes cyclical nausea, uncontrollable vomiting, and excruciating pain.
- Arizona State University researchers linked elevated Fusarium mycotoxins in illicit cannabis to CHS.
Similar / Past Coverage
- National Epilepsy Day is observed every year on November 17 in India.
- The day was first initiated by the Epilepsy Foundation of India, formed by Dr Nirmal Surya in 2009 in Mumbai.
- The day aims to raise awareness, fight stigma, improve treatments and protect the rights of epilepsy patients.
- Epilepsy is described as a neurological disorder in which electrical activity in the brain becomes abnormal, causing repeated seizures.
- Common signs include temporary loss of awareness, uncontrollable muscles, confusion, disturbed sensual perceptions and psychic symptoms like fear or hallucination.
- The two primary seizure categories are Focal Onset Seizure and Generalised Onset Seizures.
- Awareness activities include public events and workshops emphasising that epilepsy is treatable and not a social stigma.
- Support efforts focus on ensuring proper care and creating an inclusive environment for patients.
- aTyr Pharma announced that its Phase 3 trial of efzofitimod in pulmonary sarcoidosis did not meet its primary endpoint but showed several encouraging results.
- The trial did not achieve the primary goal of reducing oral corticosteroid use compared to placebo.
- Findings suggest that efzofitimod helped more patients completely withdraw from steroids and improved measures of quality of life alongside stable lung function, with a favorable safety profile.
- FSR expressed solidarity and resolve, thanking patients, investigators, and partners for their contributions to the EFZO-FIT™ study.
- FSR remains committed to advancing innovative research and ensuring patient perspectives are central to future trial design and drug development efforts.
- FSR encourages stakeholders to build upon the knowledge generated from this clinical trial as the largest interventional study completed in sarcoidosis thus far.
- aTyr plans to consult with the FDA regarding future options for efzofitimod, and FSR looks forward to supporting this conversation.
- Sarcoidosis is a rare inflammatory disease characterized by granulomas that can form in one or more organs, with 90% of patients having lung involvement.
- Approximately 175,000 people live with sarcoidosis in the United States.
- FSR is the leading international organization dedicated to finding a cure for sarcoidosis and improving care through research, education, and support.
- MoU signed between Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), Ghaziabad and Jharkhand State Pharmacy Council (JSPC) to promote safe and rational medicine use in Jharkhand.
- Objective: build capacity of registered pharmacists in adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting, pharmacovigilance, materiovigilance and safe medicine use.
- Key feature: strengthen utilisation of the National Formulary of India (NFI) as standard reference across Jharkhand healthcare facilities for rational dispensing.
- Initiatives include awareness programmes for hospital and community pharmacists, mandatory NFI use in institutional pharmacy settings, and joint observance of National Pharmacovigilance Week.
- Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah addressed the inaugural session of the second National Conference of the Heads of Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) of states and Union Territories in New Delhi.
- HM Amit Shah launched the Online Drug Disposal Campaign.
- The conference emphasized a strategy to target three types of cartels: those operating at entry points, those distributing from entry points to states, and those selling narcotics in smaller areas within states.
- ANTF heads were urged to coordinate with the CBI Director to establish a robust extradition system that is effective not only for drugs but also for terrorism and gang-related crimes.
- A Mission Drug-Free Campus campaign is underway in universities and institutions across the country.
- Efforts are being made to increase the use of the Manas Madak Padarth Nishedh Aasuchna Kendra helpline.
National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA): Paperless Lawmaking under Digital India
Key Updates:
- NeVA is a Mission Mode Project under the Digital India programme.
- 28 State and Union Territory Legislatures have signed MoUs for its adoption.
- 20 have already become fully digital Houses.
- NeVA enables complete backend computerisation of Legislature Secretariat branches.
- Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs provides ICT infrastructure, training and continuous technical handholding.
- NeVA offers a unified digital architecture for all 37 State/UT Legislatures.
- Bhashini-powered AI tools enable text translation, speech-to-text and voice-to-speech.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Portal Name: e-Jagriti digital consumer grievance redressal platform, Consumer Affairs Ministry, Government of India
- Objective: Provide seamless global access and improve resolution efficiency for consumer complaints across India
- Key Features: OTP-based registration, digital document exchange, virtual hearings, provisions for visually impaired users, paperless processing
- **Initiative/Integration:** Integration of eDistrict Services, HIMParivar, and HimAccess Cards on the DigiLocker platform.
- **Implementing Body/State:** Department of Digital Technologies and Governance (DDT&G) of Himachal Pradesh.
- **Key Feature/Scope:** Integration of 51 eDistrict Services, HIMParivar, and HimAccess Cards on DigiLocker.
- **Main Objective:** To enhance digital governance and facilitate seamless access to government services for citizens.
Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan (PM VIKAS) scheme for socio-economic empowerment of minority communities
Key Updates:
- Ministry of Minority Affairs is implementing the scheme. "According to the Ministry of Minority Affairs"
- Focuses on socio-economic empowerment of six notified minority communities through skill development, support for women entrepreneurs, and education assistance for school dropouts. "the Pradhan Mantri Virasat Ka Samvardhan PM VIKAS scheme is focused on the socio-economic empowerment of six notified minority communities through skill development, support for women entrepreneurs, and education assistance for school dropouts."
- Aims to strengthen capacity of minority youth by providing skill training in need-based courses and linking them with employment or self-employment. "PM VIKAS aims to strengthen the capacity of minority youth by providing skill training in need-based courses and linking them with employment or self-employment avenues."
- Allocation letters have been issued for training about 1.40 lakh beneficiaries. "allocation letters have been issued for training about 1.40 lakh beneficiaries."
- 3 per cent of all seats across components are reserved for persons with disabilities. "As per scheme guidelines, 3 per cent of all seats across components are reserved for persons with disabilities."
Similar / Past Coverage
- PM-JANMAN focuses on housing, health, education and livelihood for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).
- Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan improves village-level infrastructure and governance.
- Adi Karmayogi Abhiyan provides capacity building and leadership development for frontline tribal welfare officials.
- The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (MoSJE), through the Development and Welfare Board for De‑Notified, Nomadic and Semi‑Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC), and the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), through the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY‑NRLM), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
- The MoU aims to advance inclusive development and social justice for historically marginalized communities, specifically De‑Notified, Nomadic and Semi‑Nomadic Tribes (DNTs).
- Over the next three years, more than 5,000 DNT Self‑Help Groups (SHGs) formed under DWBDNC will be assimilated into the DAY‑NRLM framework.
- A dedicated cadre, DNT Sakhi, drawn from within the community, will support about 30 families organized into three Self‑Help Groups (SHGs).
- The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on November 25, 2025.
- Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MoTA) requested Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India (RGI) to separately count PVTGs in the next Census to capture households, individuals and their demographic, cultural and socio-economic features.
- PVTGs are a sub-category of Scheduled Tribes identified on criteria such as declining/stagnant population, geographical isolation, pre-agrarian practices, economic backwardness and low literacy; 75 groups across 18 states and A&N Islands are currently listed.
- Separate enumeration aims to improve implementation of targeted schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyay Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) and verify relevance of existing PVTG classification criteria.
- In 2021, the birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda was officially commemorated as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.
- The Shri Govind Guru Chair for Tribal Language Promotion Centre has been established at the Birsa Munda Tribal University; this centre will study the dialects of tribal communities such as Bhil, Gamit, Vasava, Garasia, Kokani, Santhal, Rathwa, Nayak, Dabla, Chaudhary, Kokna, Kumbhi, Warli, and Dodia; stories and songs associated with these communities will be preserved.
- To address the development of the most backward among the tribal communities, the PM-JANMAN scheme was launched from Khunti in Jharkhand, and ₹24,000 crore is being spent on this initiative.
- The Dharti Aaba Tribal Village Utkarsh Abhiyan is scripting a new chapter of development in backward tribal villages; over 60,000 villages across the country have joined this campaign; under this campaign, Gram Sabhas have been made the pivot of development.
- In the past five to six years alone, the central government has allocated over ₹18,000 crore for Eklavya Model Residential Schools across the country; 42 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) dedicated to Tribal students worth around ₹1,900 crores were inaugurated.
- The Ayushman Bharat scheme, launched in 2018 from Ranchi, Jharkhand, provides free medical treatment benefits up to ₹5 lakh to crores of tribal brothers and sisters across the country.
- A nationwide campaign is currently underway to address and manage sickle cell disease effectively, and under this initiative, six crore tribal brothers and sisters across the country have already been screened.
Trade Enablement and Marketing (TEAM) Scheme with Rs. 277.35 Cr. outlay
Key Updates:
- The TEAM Scheme is implemented by Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises as a sub-scheme of ‘Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance’ (RAMP), a Central Sector Scheme.
- The outlay of MSME TEAM Initiative is Rs. 277.35 Cr. for the duration of 3 years from 2024 to 2027.
- The TEAM Scheme provides MSMEs direct access to Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) which offers ready-made online storefronts, integrated digital payment solutions, and logistics support.
- MSME TEAM Initiative envisages to benefit 5 lakh Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) of which 50% are to be women owned MSEs.
Similar / Past Coverage
- MoU signed between Government e-Marketplace (GeM) under Ministry of Commerce & Industry and UN Women to integrate women entrepreneurs from informal sector into India’s public procurement ecosystem.
- Aims to advance GeM’s Womaniya initiative to increase procurement from women-led enterprises and expand government market access for women entrepreneurs and SHGs.
- UN Women will design training tools, recommend global gender-responsive procurement models, support validation criteria for women-led businesses, and mobilise women trainers.
- GeM will conduct capacity-building training, sensitisation workshops for buyers, onboarding events, and connect women-owned enterprises with Government Labs & R&D for product development and quality enhancement.
- NIRDC, an autonomous not-for-profit institution under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), launched InDApp.
- InDApp is designed as a single-window system to accelerate access to government approvals, real-time market information and business opportunities across the country.
- InDApp integrates physical outreach with digital services for entrepreneurs across sectors and geographies to access information on industrial opportunities, export schemes, financial subsidies and technology upgrades.
- InDApp has been developed in coordination with seven Union Ministries — Food Processing Industries; Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying; Agriculture and Farmers Welfare; Commerce and Industry; Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Corporate Affairs; and New and Renewable Energy.
- Target beneficiaries are micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
- Scheme Name: Export Promotion Mission (EPM) with two sub-schemes—Niryat Protsahan (finance) and Niryat Disha (non-finance enablers); implementing agency: Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
- Objective: Strengthen India’s export competitiveness, sustain export orders, protect jobs, and support diversification into new geographies, especially for MSMEs, first-time exporters, and labour-intensive sectors like textiles, leather, gems & jewellery, engineering goods, and marine products.
- Financial Outlay: Total approval of Rs 45,060 crore—Rs 25,060 crore for EPM (FY 2025-26 to FY 2030-31) and Rs 20,000 crore for expanding the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters (CGSE).
- CGSE Feature: 100% credit guarantee coverage by NCGTC to Member Lending Institutions for extending additional collateral-free credit up to Rs 20,000 crore to eligible exporters including MSMEs.
- Fintech platform PhonePe, in collaboration with SIDBI, launched digital-first Udyam generation through the Udyam Assist Platform (UAP).
- The initiative aims to empower micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) by accelerating formalisation and providing informal micro enterprises (IMEs) with a formal business identity.
- The Udyam Assist Platform (UAP) was developed and implemented by SIDBI as part of the Ministry of MSME’s formalisation project.
- Union Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Jitan Ram Manjhi, was present at the launch.
- The Udyam Assist Platform has enabled the issue of Udyam Assist Certificates to more than 2.75 crore small businesses over a period of more than 2 years.
Scientists unveil Lycodon irwini, new wolf snake species on Great Nicobar Island
Key Updates:
- Scientists have unveiled Lycodon irwini, a new species of wolf snake discovered in Great Nicobar Island's dense forests.
- The species is named in honor of Steve Irwin.
- Lycodon irwini has an exceptionally slender body, dark-sheened serpent reaching around 1.2 metres in length.
- It features a slim, elongated body, narrowing tail, smooth upper body with bluish black sheen, and underside ranging from black to brownish black.
- The species is extremely rare with only four confirmed records, primarily from moist evergreen forest.
- Lycodon irwini is restricted entirely to Great Nicobar Island.
- Researchers recommend classifying the species as Endangered under IUCN guidelines due to its limited range and threats from habitat disturbance.
Similar / Past Coverage
- The government will soon set up the National Coral Reef Research Institute (NCRRI) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- NCRRI will function as the nodal and monitoring agency for coral reef research across India.
- The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change will set up the first-of-its-kind centre at Chidiyatapu in South Andaman.
- Coral reefs provide natural coastal protection against storms, working as a cushion against waves.
- The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are one of the four biodiversity hotspots in India.
- A juvenile albino checkered kneelback snake, a rare hypopigmentation anomaly, has been documented for the first time in Guwahati at the Assam State Zoo.
- This discovery adds the state to an exclusive list of regions that reported hypopigmentation anomalies in this species.
- The snake displayed the character of albinism, a genetic anomaly causing absence of melanin, resulting in pale yellow skin and distinctive red eyes.
- The finding was published in the international journal ‘Reptiles and Amphibians’ by a team of researchers including Rupankar Bhattacharjee, Ashwini Kumar, Jayaditya Purkayastha, Pranjal Mahananda, and Debabrata Phukon.
- The identity of the snake was confirmed through detailed inspection of its appearance and scalation, which matched published descriptions for the Fowlea piscator.
- Albino snakes face significant difficulty to survive in the wild, making discoveries of such species rare and scientifically valuable, as they rarely get the chance to grow to adulthood.
- After careful observation and study by the state zoo researchers, the snake was released safely into a protected forest habitat within three days of its finding.
- The albino snake found was a juvenile measuring 290 mm.
- Species: Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) – 192nd species documented in the lake
- Location: Nanjarayan bird sanctuary, Tiruppur city, Tamil Nadu
- Sighting details: First inland-water stopover record; documented by Nature Society of Tirupur members Ravindran Kamatchi, Nandhagopal and Santosh, with initial sighting by forest watcher Manikandan
- Ecology: Breeds in Arctic region; winters mainly in South-East Asian countries; feeds on planktonic invertebrates by spinning in tight circles on water
- Discovery: new species formally named Iridogorgia chewbacca, distinguished by "shaggy, flexible branches" unique within the otherwise rigid-branched Iridogorgia genus.
- Researcher/Institution: discovered by University of Hawai‘i professor emeritus Les Watling; specimen collected off Molokai in 2006.
- Key feature: flexibility attributed to lack of calcium carbonate, the compound that forms coral "bones".
- Habitat: prefers "the upper part of the deep sea," with the Molokai specimen found "about 600 meters deep."
- Known distribution: only two specimens collected—one off Molokai (2006) and one near the Mariana Trench (2016), illustrating the wide Indo-Pacific biogeographic range.
IWAI signs MoUs worth over ₹6,000 crore for development of Inland Waterways on National Waterway-1 (Ganga)
Key Updates:
- Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), nodal agency under Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), signed 25 MoUs for inland waterways development.
- The MoUs aim to strengthen river cruise tourism, ship repair infrastructure, multimodal connectivity and clean-energy transportation along National Waterway-1 (Ganga).
- Uttar Pradesh receives substantial share of commitments focused on expanding operations in Varanasi and along the Ganga corridor.
- Key MoUs include ₹800 crore for cruise tourism, ₹350 crore ship repair facility in Varanasi with UP government, ₹200 crore for two river cruise terminals in Varanasi, ₹100 crore for electric vessel charging infrastructure, ₹200 crore Regional Centre of Excellence in Varanasi, ₹1,000 crore with Rhenus Logistics for tug-barges, ₹1,500 crore with NTCPWC of IIT-Madras for dredging supervision, and ₹1,500 crore with IPRCL for rail connectivity DPR and PMC services.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Sunil Paliwal, Chairperson of Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Ltd, has been appointed as chairman of Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
- He will hold the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India.
- The post of IWAI chairman has been temporarily upgraded to Secretary level for this appointment.
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Department of Personnel and Training issued the notification for his appointment.
- Paliwal succeeds Vijay Kumar at IWAI.
- Vijay Kumar was recently made Shipping Secretary.
- Vijay Kumar replaced TK Ramachandran, who retired, as Shipping Secretary.
- Paliwal previously held crucial portfolios in the Tamil Nadu government, including Managing Director of Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board; Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Road Development Company Limited; and Managing Director of Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation.
- MoU signed between Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC) and Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) for Patna water metro service.
- Project cost Rs 908 crore; initial route Digha Paryatan Ghat–Kangan Ghat with stops at NIT Ghat and Gai Ghat.
- Vessels are hybrid-electric catamarans like ‘MV Nishadraj’, fully air-conditioned, 100-passenger capacity including 2 wheelchair spaces, zero carbon emissions.
- The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, and the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) signed a pact to develop the Madhurawada Sewerage System.
- The estimated cost for the Madhurawada Sewerage System project is Rs 553 crore.
- The IFC announced a commitment of up to Rs 498 crore in rupee-denominated non-convertible debentures to the GVMC.
- This is the first-ever direct municipal financing by the IFC in India.
- It is also the first instance of a development institution extending investment to an Indian city without a sovereign guarantee.
- The project funding includes an IFC loan of Rs 498 crore, AMRUT 2.0 assistance of Rs 45.64 crore, and a GVMC contribution of Rs 9.36 crore.
- Swan Defence and Heavy Industries Limited (SDHI) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) to advance the country’s shipbuilding sector.
- Under the agreement, SDHI will invest ₹4,250 crore across three projects at its Pipavav Port shipyard in Gujarat.
- Of the total investment, ₹3,500 crore will be used to expand shipyard capacity, including slipways, jetties, additional cranes, block fabrication, and dredging.
- A ₹200 crore Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Maritime will be established to train over 1,000 youth annually.
- SDHI will also develop a 200-acre Maritime Cluster at the shipyard with an investment of ₹550 crore.
- SDHI has also inked another MoU with Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited (SMFCL) to explore shipbuilding projects, ship repairs and ancillary maritime infrastructure for support under Maritime focused Equity Fund.
- The partnership with SMFCL will include feasibility studies, implementation of sustainable shipbuilding technologies, localisation of supply chains, and vendor development, and establish a financing framework covering capital structure, equity, debt, and credit enhancements.
- The strategic collaborations align with India’s Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 and Maritime India Vision 2030, supporting the government’s objectives under PM Gati Shakti.
Ministry of Coal Notifies 18 QCI-NABET Accredited Private Agencies to Fast-Track Coal, Lignite Exploration
Key Updates:
- The Ministry of Coal notified 18 private agencies accredited by Quality Council of India–National Accreditation Board for Education and Training (QCI-NABET) as prospecting agencies.
- The notification allows coal block allottees to directly hire these agencies for prospecting work.
- Exploration and preparation of geological reports are mandatory before a mine can be operationalised.
- Expanding the pool of prospecting agencies aims to accelerate exploration, improve flexibility for mine allottees and enable quicker enhancement of coal and lignite production to meet rising energy requirements.
- Adding more authorised agencies is expected to save about six months previously spent on agencies obtaining prospecting licences.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Coal India Limited is the world’s single-largest coal-producing company.
- SECL's Gevra Mine is the largest coal mine in Asia.
- In its Golden Jubilee year, Coal India Limited achieved its highest-ever coal production, dispatch, and overburden removal.
- The Indian coal sector achieved the historic milestone of 1 billion tonnes of coal production in FY 2024-25.
- Name: Koyla Shakti – Smart Coal Analytics Dashboard (SCAD) developed by Ministry of Coal
- Launch: Unveiled on October 29, 2025 at The Oberoi, New Delhi by G. Kishan Reddy, Minister of Coal and Mines
- Objective: Provide real-time, data-driven insights into India’s coal ecosystem to strengthen transparency, accountability and efficiency aligned with Digital India mission
- Integration: Unified interface integrating data from Coal-producing companies, Central Ministries (Coal, Railways, Power, Finance, Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Road Transport & Highways), State e-Khanij departments, power utilities, port authorities and private coal-handling terminals
- Key Features: Real-time monitoring of production, dispatch, logistics; incident alerts; standardized metrics; simplified reporting; scalability for future datasets; policy forecasting for demand estimation and long-term planning
- G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Coal and Mines, presented the Five-Star Awards to the top-performing mines.
- Satish Chandra Dubey, Minister of State for Coal and Mines, emphasized that responsible mining must prioritize environmental protection, scientific mine closure, and community welfare.
- Vikram Dev Dutt, Secretary, Ministry of Coal, noted India achieved over one billion tonnes of coal production and supply last year.
Ashwini Vaishnaw announces ₹4,500 crore allocation for Semi-Conductor Laboratory (SCL) Mohali upgrade
Key Updates:
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi decides to upgrade SCL Mohali and establish a high-quality semiconductor training centre, strong commercial production unit, and world-class R&D facility under India Semiconductor Mission.
- SCL Mohali upgrade includes process modernisation, new tools, and production level increased 100 times.
- Modernisation of SCL addresses strategic requirements, student needs, researcher requirements, chips, and fabrication.
- Large-scale training facility to be built at SCL Mohali.
- SCL to remain a government organisation and major R&D organisation.
- India Semiconductor Mission launched in 2021.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Jayant Chaudhary jointly inaugurated the Skill India Centre in Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh.
- The centre in Baraut will offer quality skilling to unlock local aspirations and expand opportunities.
- It is positioned as a gateway for youth in rural and underserved regions to access new-age skills and contribute to India’s growth.
- India's first Silicon Carbide (SiC) semiconductor manufacturing plant will be established in Odisha.
- The plant, named SiCSem, is an integrated device manufacturer and has received approval from the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).
- It will be established as an Assembly, Testing, Marking, and Packaging (ATMP) facility in Bhubaneswar.
- The SiCSem project is valued at Rs 2,000-crore.
- SiCSem will be one of the first ISM-approved ATMP facilities to be set up in Odisha.
- Another key project, 3DGS, has also received approval from the India Semiconductor Mission and uses revolutionary technology with glass substrate for packaging.
- The SiC project will manufacture various semiconductor devices through both RIR Power Semiconductors and SiCSem.
- Ministry of Science and Technology announced four Quantum Fabrication and Central Facilities under the National Quantum Mission (NQM).
- Total outlay for the facilities is Rs 720 crore.
- Facilities to be set up at IIT-Bombay, IISc-Bengaluru, IIT-Kanpur, and IIT-Delhi.
- Facilities will support quantum sensing, quantum computing, and quantum materials development.
- Access open to NQM investigators, academia, industry, start-ups, and strategic sectors.
- The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DoT) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR) to establish a centre of excellence (CoE) on the IITR campus.
- The primary objective of the C-DoT Centre of Excellence (CoE) is to accelerate indigenous research, innovation and capacity building in advanced communication technologies.
- The CoE will have a strong focus on research in the areas of wireless communication, quantum technologies, cybersecurity and AI-based applications.
- The centre will drive joint research and prototype development in key emerging domains, including 5G and 6G, RF-sub-THz integrated circuits, sensors, millimetre-wave beamforming antennas with integrated ICs, V2X Communication, data-driven wireless communication technologies and energy efficiency.
Apollo Micro Systems Ltd signs tri-party MoU with IIT-Chennai and Indian Navy for defence technology development
Key Updates:
- Apollo Micro Systems Ltd has entered a tri-party alliance with IIT-Chennai and the Indian Navy to accelerate indigenous defence technology development.
- The MoU focuses on addressing and solving the present and future problem statements of the Armed Forces through indigenous research and development.
- The partnership focuses on high-technology areas critical to modern warfare, including advanced electronic warfare systems, precision guidance and control systems and high-energy armament solutions, and not limited to them.
- IIT-Chennai will serve as the research anchor and focus on developing the technologies and intellectual property.
- Apollo Micro Systems will act as the technology development and manufacturing partner to convert laboratory-scale research into battlefield-ready products.
- The Directorate General of Naval Armament Inspection will provide domain expertise and operational insights and assist in testing the developed products.
- The partnership with IIT-Chennai will further be extended for other technologically advanced products developed for the Indian Army, Indian Air Force, Space and other applications across domains.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Safran Electronics & Defence (SED), France, signed a Joint Venture Cooperation Agreement to locally produce HAMMER precision-guided weapons.
- The agreement formalises the manufacture of the Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range (HAMMER) smart precision-guided air-to-ground weapon in India.
- The HAMMER weapons are already integrated on the Indian Air Force’s Rafale aircraft and are under evaluation for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas.
- The joint venture aims to progressively raise indigenous content to up to 60%, with BEL leading final integration and quality assurance.
- This partnership reflects a strategic shift in the India-France defence relationship from buyer-seller to co-development and co-production, supporting India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
- Defence items: M982A1 Excalibur precision-guided artillery projectiles (216 rounds) and FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile systems (100 rounds, 1 fly-to-buy missile, 25 Lightweight Command Launch Units)
- Total value: USD 93 million — Excalibur package USD 47.1 million, Javelin package USD 45.7 million
- Principal contractor: RTX Corporation (for Excalibur); no offset agreement known at this stage
- Objective stated by DSCA: "support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to strengthen the U.S.-Indian strategic relationship" and "improve India’s capability to meet current and future threats"
- Additional items: Portable Electronic Fire Control Systems, propellant charges, training aids, simulation rounds, technical manuals, lifecycle support, logistics and programme support
- Technology: Vehicle-mounted Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) high-energy laser weapon system
- Entities: Indian engineering firm Axiscades and French laser specialist Cilas S.A.
- Objective: Co-develop and integrate the C-UAS solution for Indian defence forces
- Localisation: Axiscades will locally integrate, maintain and manufacture Cilas’ Helma-P laser system under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative
- Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has entered into a strategic partnership with US-headquartered General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) for manufacturing MALE RPAS in India.
- The partnership aims to produce Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) platforms for the Indian armed forces.
- The combat-proven MALE RPAS platforms will be manufactured entirely in India.
- L&T will be the prime bidder and GA-ASI the technology partner for the upcoming 87 MALE RPAS programme of the Ministry of Defence.
- The collaboration will enable the production of GA-ASI's combat-proven MQ-series RPAS.
- GA-ASI's MQ-series RPAS are widely operational across the globe in surveillance and strike missions.
- The partnership aims to significantly enhance India's defence capabilities and advance self-reliance in aerospace technologies.
Antarctic Day observed globally on Dec 1
Key Updates:
- Antarctic Day is observed globally on Dec 1.
- Antarctic Day recalls the signing of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959.
- National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) is the country’s nodal institution for polar science.
- National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) was established on April 5, 2000.
- India’s permanent research stations include Dakshin Gangotri, Maitri, and Bharati in Antarctica; Himadri in the Arctic; and Himansh in the Himalayas.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant unveiled a commemorative postage stamp honouring cinematographer K Vaikunth at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025 in Panaji.
- The stamp release event was attended by Vaikunth's son Amit Kunkalekar and officials of the Indian Post department.
- Vaikunth, a native of Margao, Goa, was credited with shaping the visual language of classical Hindi cinema through films like 'Seeta aur Geeta' and 'Aandhi' with directors Gulzar and Ramesh Sippy.
- A special commemorative postal cover was launched to honour Dr Ramdas R Pai.
- Dr Ramdas R Pai is the Chancellor of Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE).
- The postal cover celebrates Dr Ramdas R Pai's 90th birthday.
- Ramesh Prabhu, superintendent of Indian Postal Service, Udupi division, formally unveiled the special postal cover.
- The commemorative cover honours Dr Pai's lifelong dedication to advancing education, healthcare, and community development.
- Dr Ramdas Pai's contributions elevated the city and Manipal Academy of Higher Education to national and global prominence.
- The government has introduced voluntary hallmarking for silver jewellery and articles, backed by a digital identification system to assure quality and protect consumers, effective from September 1.
- The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) updated its hallmarking standard with the release of IS 2112:2025, replacing the earlier IS 2112:2014 version.
- The revision introduces Hallmarking Unique Identification (HUID)-based hallmarking for silver, aligning it with the gold hallmarking system and improving traceability.
- The updated standard specifies seven purity grades: 800, 835, 925, 958, 970, 990, and 999 – with 958 and 999 newly added.
- Consumers can now verify the article type, purity grade, hallmarking date, testing centre details and jeweller registration number of hallmarked silver through the BIS Care mobile application.
- India Post issued a special postage stamp to mark IIT Kharagpur's platinum jubilee celebrations.
- The stamp release was conducted simultaneously across 1,64,987 post offices nationwide.
- IIT Kharagpur, established in 1951, is India's first Indian Institute of Technology.
RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra releases National Strategy for Financial Inclusion (NSFI) 2025-30
Key Updates:
- NSFI 2025-30 emphasises synergistic ecosystem approach improving quality and consistency of last-mile access and effective usage of financial services.
- NSFI 2025-30 lists five objectives called Panch-Jyoti and 47 action points.
- NSFI 2025-30 adopts gender-sensitive approach for women-led financial inclusion.
- NSFI 2025-30 includes differentiated strategies for improving financial resilience of households especially underserved and vulnerable segments.
- NSFI 2025-30 focuses on improving availability and use of equitable responsible suitable and affordable financial services for households and micro enterprises.
- NSFI 2025-30 synergises livelihood skill development and support ecosystem linkages with financial inclusion.
- Earlier five-year strategy ending in 2024 achieved its objectives.
- NSFI 2025-30 framed under Technical Group on Financial Inclusion and Financial Literacy (TGFIFL).
Similar / Past Coverage
- Bank of Baroda has launched the “bob Aspire NRE Savings Account a solution designed to simplify banking for Indian citizens preparing to move overseas.
- The bob Aspire account can be initiated in India in “inoperative mode” and becomes fully operational once the customer submits proof of an overseas address along with a passport carrying the immigration stamp confirming NRI status.
- Snappi secures ECB license, launches neobank in Greece.
- Mastercard taps Qlub to drive contactless payments.
- Other Related News includes 'Behavioural biometrics and AI rise as online fraud surges across Europe', 'Sikoia, Finova partner to automate document verification with AI', and 'Ozone API teams up with Plumery to drive global open banking'.
- Related Reports include 'Global Digital Banking Vendor & Landscape Report Q2 2025', 'NextGen WealthTech: The Trends To Shape The Future Q4 2023', 'Incentive Compensation Management Report Q2 2025', and 'Treasury & Capital Markets Systems Report Q2 2025'.
- The government reduced the number of public sector banks from 27 in 2017 to 12 by 2020 through mergers.
- RBI has removed restrictions on bank financing of acquisitions to stimulate private investment.
- RBI has raised the caps on loans against IPO subscriptions to promote market participation.
Ramakrishnan Chander appointed as Managing Director of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC)
Key Updates:
- Ramakrishnan Chander has been appointed as the Managing Director of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC), with effect from December 1.
- Prior to this, he was the Executive Director (Investment – Front Office) & Chief Investment Officer of LIC.
- Ramakrishnan Chander joined LIC in 1990 as an Assistant Administrative Officer.
- He is a graduate and Fellow of Insurance Institute of India.
- He has 35 years of experience in Marketing and Administration, holding positions of Senior Divisional Manager, Regional Manager (Marketing) and Regional Manager (P&GS).
- He led LIC’s Strategic Business Unit – International Operations as Executive Director.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Sipan Kumar Garg has assumed the additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of THDC India Limited.
- He has been serving as Director (Finance) at THDC India Limited.
- He is a member of the ICAI, ICMAI and ICSI, and a rank holder in the Company Secretary examination.
- He brings over 24 years of experience in finance, accounts, taxation and commercial functions in the power sector.
- Before joining THDC India Limited, he worked as Chief Financial Officer at Aravali Power Company Private Limited and Patratu Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited, both subsidiaries of NTPC Limited.
- Bhupender Gupta has taken charge as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of NHPC Limited, India’s largest hydropower company and a Navratna central public sector enterprise.
- Gupta assumed charge on September 4 at NHPC’s corporate office in Faridabad.
- Prior to this, he was serving as Director (Technical) at THDC India Ltd and also holds the additional charge of CMD, SJVN Ltd.
- Govt appointed seven new secretary-rank officers, including the new heads for oil, telecom and agriculture ministries.
- Neeraj Mittal, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, [was appointed] as petroleum secretary, replacing Pankaj Jain.
- Amit Agrawal moves to the Department of Telecom.
- Manoj Joshi... will move to pharmaceuticals from the department of land resources.
- V Vidyarthi will move from tourism to the department of empowerment of persons with disabilities.
- Srivatsa Krishna [will replace V Vidyarthi] in tourism.
- Atish Chandra... has been named officer on special duty in the department of agriculture and farmers welfare, and will take over as secretary at the end of Feb, when Devesh Chaturvedi retires.
- Pankaj Jain, who was named member secretary of the Eighth Pay Commission.
- Chennai Port Trust chairman Sunil Paliwal has been named chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India.
Harmanpreet Kaur appointed as International Brand Ambassador of Vedanta Pink City Half Marathon (VPCHM) 2025
Key Updates:
- Harmanpreet Kaur is Captain of the World Cup-winning Indian Women's Cricket Team.
- Priya Agarwal Hebbar is Non-Executive Director of Vedanta Ltd and Chairperson of Hindustan Zinc Ltd.
- Bablu Sisodiya won the 21 km Male Category of VPCHM.
- Ujaala won the 21 km Female Category of VPCHM.
- Pawan Kumar won the 10 km Male Category of VPCHM.
- Saloni won the 10 km Female Category of VPCHM.
- VPCHM is organised by AnyBody Can Run (ABCR).
Similar / Past Coverage
- Abhishek Sharma had a record-breaking performance at the 2025 DP World Asia Cup.
- Abhishek Sharma was propelled to the No. 1 spot in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20I Batter Rankings.
- Abhishek Sharma achieved the highest rating ever recorded in the ICC Men’s T20I Batter Rankings.
- Apollo Tyres has been announced as the new jersey sponsor of Team India.
- The multi-year deal, officially unveiled today, will see the tire giant’s logo emblazoned on the Indian cricket team’s jersey across all formats—Tests, ODIs, and T20Is—until 2027.
- The agreement officially came into effect today, September 16, 2025.
- This is not the first time Apollo Tyres has ventured into sports sponsorship; their previous association with football giant Manchester United demonstrated their global ambition and their understanding of the power of sports to connect with a diverse audience.
- The official announcement event was a grand affair, attended by key figures from both sides. Shri Jay Shah, the Honorary Secretary of the BCCI, and Shri Roger Binny, the President, were present to formalize the agreement.
- Milind Soman has been "appointed as the campaign’s brand ambassador" for the ‘Namo Yuva Run’.
- The ‘Namo Yuva Run’ campaign was launched by "The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha BJYM, the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party".
- Milind Soman is described as "Bollywood Actor, model and fitness enthusiast".
- Paradeep Phosphates has unveiled a partnership with cricket superstar Rahul Dravid as their new brand ambassador.
- The collaboration aims to forge an association between two names that represent trust, discipline, reliability, and performance.
- The partnership marks the launch of two major nationwide campaigns: 'Kheti ka Game Changer' for Jai Kisaan Navratna Nano Shakti Nano DAP and 'NPK and Organic Fertilizers ki Winning Team' for Paradeep’s NPK and organic fertiliser range.
- Suresh Krishnan, managing director and CEO of Paradeep Phosphates, said, 'His unwavering integrity, dedication and consistency truly reflect the values we uphold at PPL, making him a perfect representative for the brand.'
- Dravid noted, 'Farmers and sportspersons share a similar mindset, as both rely on patience, timing, and the right support systems to succeed.'
- The integrated campaigns will run across television, digital, and print platforms.
CA Usha Janakiraman appointed Executive Director of Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
Key Updates:
- CA Usha Janakiraman appointed Executive Director of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) with effect from December 1, 2025.
- Prior to the promotion, Usha Janakiraman served as Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of Regulation, Central Office, Mumbai.
- Usha Janakiraman has experience of over three decades in the RBI in areas of regulation, external investment and operations, banking supervision, public debt management, currency management and other areas.
- As Executive Director, Usha Janakiraman will look after the Department of Supervision (Risk, Analytics and Vulnerability Assessment).
- Usha Janakiraman is a Chartered Accountant.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Chitra Talwar has been appointed as Part-Time Chairperson of Jana Small Finance Bank effective February 8, 2026.
- She succeeds R Ramaseshan who is retiring after completing the maximum tenure of eight years.
- Her tenure as Part-Time Chairperson is until January 30, 2028.
- The appointment has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India.
- Person's Full Name and Position: "Rama Subramaniam Gandhi as part-time Chairman of the bank"
- Organization: "Yes Bank"
- Tenure Details: "for a further period from September 20, 2025, to May 13, 2027"
- Previous Role: "served as the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India for three years from 2014 to 2017"
- Additional Experience: "had a three-year secondment to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)"
- Approval Authority: "The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), through its letter dated September 1, 2025, has approved the re-appointment"
- The Reserve Bank of India has approved the appointment of S Krishnan as part-time chairman of J&K Bank.
- His appointment is effective from November 13, 2025, till March 26, 2028.
- Krishnan previously served as MD & CEO of Punjab & Sind Bank.
- He also held the top position as MD & CEO of Tamilnad Mercantile Bank in September 2022.
- Krishnan is currently an independent director on the board of Srinagar-headquartered bank.
- Seven Executive Directors have been appointed to the Boards of various Public Sector Banks.
- The Department of Financial Services (DFS) formally notified these appointments.
- The appointed Executive Directors include Amit Kumar Srivastava for Punjab National Bank, E. Ratan Kumar for Central Bank of India, Amresh Prasad for Union Bank of India, Pramod Kumar Dwibedi for Bank of India, Sunil Kumar Chugh for Canara Bank, Mini T M for Indian Bank, and Prabhat Kiran for Bank of Maharashtra.
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the proposal for these appointments.
- The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) conducted the selection process, recommending 11 candidates, from which seven officers received postings.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilding Ltd (MDL) delivers 'Taragiri' fourth Nilgiri-class stealth frigate under Project 17A to Indian Navy
Key Updates:
- Taragiri (Yard 12653), the fourth Nilgiri-class frigate under Project 17A and the third built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilding Ltd (MDL), was delivered to the Indian Navy on November 28 in Mumbai.
- Project 17A frigates are versatile multi-mission platforms.
- Taragiri is a reincarnation of the erstwhile INS Taragiri, a Leander-class frigate.
- P17A frigates are designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team (Mumbai).
- P17A ships are fitted with an advanced weapon and sensor suite compared to the P17 (Shivalik) class.
- P17A ships are configured with Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion plants, comprising a diesel engine and a gas turbine that drive a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) on each shaft, and state-of-the-art Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).
- Weapon and sensors suite comprises BrahMos SSM, MFSTAR and MRSAM complex, 76mm SRGM, and a combination of 30 mm and 12.7 mm close-in weapon systems, along with rockets and torpedoes for anti-submarine warfare.
- Taragiri is the fourth P17A ship to be delivered to Indian Navy in the last 11 months.
- Build period of Taragiri compressed to 81 months, in comparison to 93 months taken for First of the Class (Nilgiri).
- Remaining three ships of Project 17A (one in MDL and two in GRSE) are planned to be delivered progressively by Aug 2026.
- Indigenisation content of 75%, the project has involved over 200 MSMEs.
Similar / Past Coverage
- India's first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and multi-mission stealth frigate Udaygiri have arrived in Colombo for an international fleet review to mark the 75th anniversary of Sri Lanka Navy.
- In a display of naval cooperation, three warships representing Bangladesh and India made port calls in Colombo on November 25 and 26, for the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2025, scheduled to be held on November 30.
- This also marks INS Udaygiri 's first foreign visit since its commission on August 26, 2025.
- India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, arrived in Colombo for her maiden participation in Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) IFR 2025.
- The state-of-the-art Project 17A multi-mission stealth frigates Udaygiri and Himgiri were commissioned at the Naval Base in Visakhapatnam on August 26 this year.
- Udaygiri, built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in Mumbai, and Himgiri, constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata, showcase the nation's growing shipbuilding prowess.
- The Indian Navy has unveiled the crest of Mahe, the first ship of the indigenously designed and built Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft.
- The crest is inspired from the cultural and martial legacy of Kerala, depicting a flexible sword named Urumi which is associated with Kalarippayattu and is a symbol of Kerala’s martial heritage.
- The crest symbolizes the confluence of country’s cultural heritage and technological prowess, marking another step in the Navy’s commitment to indigenisation, innovation, and Aatmanirbharta.
- The ship’s motto of Silent Hunters embodies stealth, vigilance and unwavering resolve.
- The Navy will commission Mahe on 24th of November in Mumbai.
- Indigenous build: Goa Shipyard Limited constructed the 51-metre FPV with >60% indigenous content
- Key systems: First ICG vessel fitted with indigenously developed controllable pitch propellers and gearboxes
- Armament suite: 30 mm CRN91 gun and two 12.7 mm stabilised remote-controlled machine guns integrated with advanced fire-control systems
- The Indian Navy will commission its new support base INS Aravali.
- INS Aravali will be commissioned in Gurugram.
- The base has been established to bolster command, control and Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) operations.
- Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, will preside over the commissioning ceremony.
- INS Aravali will function under the guiding motto ‘सामुद्रिकसुरक्षायाः सहयोगं’ or ‘ Maritime Security through Collaboration’.
Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) hands over ICGS Amulya (Yard 1272), third Fast Patrol Vessel, to Indian Coast Guard
Key Updates:
- ICGS Amulya is the third vessel in a series of eight advanced Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs) being built for the Indian Coast Guard.
- ICGS Amulya measures 51.43 m in length and 8 m in breadth, with a displacement of 330 tonnes at a draught of 2.5 m.
- ICGS Amulya is powered by twin marine diesel engines driving controllable pitch propellers (CPP), a first in this class of FPVs.
- ICGS Amulya has a top speed exceeding 27 knots and endurance of 1,500 nautical miles.
- ICGS Amulya is equipped with an advanced integrated machinery control system.
- ICGS Amulya will be operated by a complement of six officers and 35 sailors.
- ICGS Amulya is purpose-built for fisheries protection, exclusive economic zone (EEZ) surveillance, coastal patrol, anti-smuggling, anti-piracy, and search & rescue missions.
Similar / Past Coverage
- ISRO contracted the HAL–L&T consortium in 2022 for end-to-end production of five PSLV-XL rockets
- The first industry-manufactured PSLV is scheduled to launch the Oceansat satellite early next year
- ISRO has transferred Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) technology to HAL, which will now fully own and operate the SSLV business
- Consortium has begun delivering PSLV hardware and expects two or three launches next year
- ISRO intervened to help resolve production challenges faced by the consortium
- Indigenous build: Goa Shipyard Limited constructed the 51-metre FPV with >60% indigenous content
- Key systems: First ICG vessel fitted with indigenously developed controllable pitch propellers and gearboxes
- Armament suite: 30 mm CRN91 gun and two 12.7 mm stabilised remote-controlled machine guns integrated with advanced fire-control systems
- Contract for eleven Ammunition Cum Torpedo Cum Missile Barges concluded with M/s Suryadipta Projects Pvt Ltd, Thane on 05 Mar 21
- Launch ceremony of 11th barge LSAM 25 (Yard 135) held on 08 Sep 25 at Thane with Rear Admiral Vishal Bishnoi as Chief Guest
- Barges indigenously designed and built by Indian shipyard with Indian design firm and IRS; ten of eleven already delivered and operational with Indian Navy
- Ship name & class: INS Magdala, sixth of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW SWC) 'Mahe' class
- Builder & location: Indigenously designed and built by Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi
- Key capabilities: Equipped with Hull Mounted Sonar, Low Frequency Variable Depth Sonar, Torpedoes, Anti-Submarine Rockets, NSG-30 Gun, 12.7 mm SRCG; propelled by three Diesel Engine powered waterjets
National Pollution Control Day on December 2
Key Updates:
- National Pollution Control Day is annually celebrated on December 2.
- National Pollution Control Day is marked on December 2nd each year in India to honour the memory of those who lost their lives in the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy.
- The Bhopal Gas Tragedy claimed the lives of at least 4,000 people when a pesticide facility owned by the American chemical corporation Union Carbide began to leak toxic methyl isocyanate gas into a populated area in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
Similar / Past Coverage
- World Sustainable Transport Day is observed globally on 29th November.
- The theme for World Sustainable Transport Day 2025 focuses on accelerating clean, inclusive, and resilient mobility.
- The slogan for World Sustainable Transport Day 2025 is “Accelerating the shift: Paving the way for inclusive and Resilient Mobility”.
- The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) formally established World Sustainable Transport Day in a resolution adopted on May 16, 2023.
- The initiative for World Sustainable Transport Day was led by Turkmenistan.
- The date of November 26 was chosen for World Sustainable Transport Day because the first United Nations (UN) Global Sustainable Transport Conference was held on that day in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, in 2016.
- A general slogan for World Transport Day is “Move Green, Move Smart”.
- Scheme Name: Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan under National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change
- Objective: Promote city-level competition to expedite air-quality improvement; annual survey now extended to ward level
- Financial Outlay: ₹20,130 crore allocated to 130 NCAP cities; ₹13,237 crore performance-linked grant disbursed (2019-20 to date); total ₹1.55 lakh crore mobilised from Central & State schemes
- Key Features: Awards based on rigorous multi-tier evaluation; top performers (Indore, Jabalpur, Agra, Surat, Amravati, Jhansi, Moradabad, Alwar, Dewas, Parwanoo, Angul) receive cash prizes
- Wetland City Accreditation: Indore & Udaipur recognised under Ramsar Convention for safeguarding urban wetlands
- Digital Platform: PRANA portal enables cities to track and transparently report air-quality improvement activities
- Best-Practice Resource: Compendium of Best Practices under NCAP released for replication by other cities
- World Water Monitoring Day is annually observed to raise awareness of water pollution issues and the importance of regularly monitoring water sources.
- The first World Water Monitoring Day was observed on October 18, 2003.
- In 2003, America’s Clean Water Foundation ACWF launched World Water Monitoring Day as a global educational outreach program.
- Initially, the date was October 18, in honor of the US Clean Water Act, which was enacted on 18 October 1972.
- The official date was changed to the 18th of September in 2007.
- In 2006, America’s Clean Water Foundation transferred the role of coordinator of the event to the Water Environment FederationWEF and the International Water AssociationIWA.
- In 2015, the coordinator of World Water Monitoring Day was transferred to EarthEcho International.
- Campaign Name: 'Swachhata Hi Seva' 2025, themed 'Swachhotsav', running from September 17 to October 2.
- Objective: Achieve 100 percent waste clearance across villages, cities, and peri-urban areas with focus on legacy waste dumpsites.
- Implementing Ministries: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and Ministry of Jal Shakti.
World Computer Literacy Day celebrated each year on December 2
Key Updates:
- World Computer Literacy Day is celebrated each year on December 2.
- It was launched in 2001 by the Indian company NIIT.
- It was launched by NIIT to mark its 20th anniversary.
- It was created in response to research showing a gender gap in computer usage, with most users being male.
Similar / Past Coverage
- The fifth edition of the India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF 2025) will convene on 27–28 November in New Delhi.
- The forum is organised as India's national chapter of the UN Internet Governance Forum and operates on a multistakeholder model.
- Union Minister of State for Electronics & Information Technology and Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada, will inaugurate the event as Chief Guest.
- The theme for IIGF 2025 is 'Advancing Internet Governance for an Inclusive and Sustainable Viksit Bharat'.
- The three sub-themes are: Inclusive Digital Future, Digital Infrastructure for Resilient and Sustainable Growth, and AI for People, Planet and Progress.
- The event will be held across two venues: India Habitat Centre on day one and India International Centre on day two.
- IIGF 2025 will feature four panel discussions and twelve workshops covering data governance, cybersecurity, AI ethics, and digital inclusion.
- Azerbaijan hosted the World Telecommunication Development Conference WTDC25, bringing together ITU members, ministers and global digital leaders to advance inclusive connectivity.
- Delegates highlighted cybersecurity, data protection, and the need for ethical deployment of emerging technologies.
- Discussions focused on bridging rural-urban gaps, reducing connectivity costs, and supporting developing nations.
- With more than 2,500 participants, the event marked a record for ITU development conferences and positioned Azerbaijan as a key digital collaborator.
- Leaders agreed that affordability, sustainability and global cooperation are essential to narrowing the digital divide.
- The NCERT launched Bal Vatika - PM eVidya, a DTH Channel Available on No. 35, which will provide engaging audio-visual content for teachers, Anganwadi workers, parents, and children aged 3-6 years to boost foundational literacy and numeracy skills.
- The upgraded DIKSHA 2.0 platform was unveiled, featuring structured lessons, adaptive assessments, performance feedback, and AI-enabled tools such as Read Aloud, Closed Captioning, and automatic translation of text files into 12 languages.
- The PM eVidya mobile app was released as a centralised gateway for digital learning.
- Virtual Reality (VR) labs were introduced at four demonstration schools.
- NCERT rolled out PRASHAST 2.0, an enhanced pre-assessment screening tool for the early identification of children with disabilities, integrated with UDISE+, APAAR, and Swavlamban Card portals.
- Kitab Ek Padhe Anek, a universal design for learning-based initiative, was launched to create accessible textbooks for inclusive classrooms.
- NCERT launched Utkal Jananinkara Sujogya Santana, a book featuring 100 eminent personalities from Odisha who contributed to the state's development and India's freedom movement.
- The Handbook for Key Functionaries on Vocational Education was released by PSSCIVE, underlining the renewed emphasis on vocational education in schools under NEP 2020.
- The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Directorate General of Training (DGT) under the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Autodesk.
- The collaboration aims to advance digital design and make skills among faculty and trainers in National Skill Training Institutes (NSTIs) and Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) across India.
- The initiative seeks to strengthen the digital capabilities of trainers and educators, enhance employability skills in students, and prepare India’s workforce for the evolving needs of industries, such as architecture, engineering, manufacturing, and construction.
- Over the next three years, this partnership will align skill development with rapid advancements in AI, industry innovation, and emerging career pathways.
- Autodesk will extend its professional-grade software to educators and students across more than 14,500 ITIs and 33 NSTIs.
- The initiative will involve the joint development of educational programs, curriculum, and learning activities, leveraging Autodesk’s technology.