Daily Current Affairs: 4 December 2025
Analysis for 04 December 2025
NHAI partners Reliance Jio to deploy telecom-based highway safety alert system
Key Updates:
- The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) signed an MoU with Reliance Jio to roll-out a telecom network-driven highway safety alert system.
- Using Jio’s existing 4G and 5G network, travellers receive advance warnings on mobile phones as they approach risk locations such as accident-prone stretches, stray-cattle zones, fog-affected areas and emergency diversions.
- Alerts will be sent through SMS, WhatsApp, and high-priority calls to national highway users.
- The automated system works for all Jio mobile users on or near national highways without requiring additional roadside hardware.
Similar / Past Coverage
- 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.
- A new collaboration with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will provide Google Maps with near real-time data on highway road closures and repairs.
- The partnership with NHAI will also help surface information for wayside amenities like restrooms and petrol stations.
- Google is partnering with government authorities so that Maps can alert users visually and audibly as they approach areas identified as accident-prone, prompting safer driving.
- Maps will now display the official speed limit for a road—right next to the speedometer—based on data from local traffic authorities.
- India is among the first markets to receive automatic notifications of major disruptions or delays on the road ahead for Android users on major roads in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore.
- The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will deploy Network Survey Vehicles (NSV) in 23 states covering 20,933 km.
- The deployment is for "collection, processing and analysing road inventory and pavement condition data of National Highway stretches."
- NSVs will collect data related to "road inventory and pavement condition including all relevant road defects like surface cracking, potholes and patches etc."
- The data collected through NSV survey will be uploaded on "NHAI’s ‘AI’ based portal Data Lake" for analysis and preserved in the "Road Asset Management system."
- Pavement condition surveys will be carried out using "3D laser based NSV system capable of capturing and reporting road defects automatically without any human intervention with the help of high resolution 360-degree cameras, DGPS (Differential Global Positioning System), IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), and DMI (Distance Measuring Indicator)."
- Data shall be collected for all projects involving two-four-six-eight lanes with NSV "before start of work and thereafter at regular intervals of six months."
- NHAI has invited bids from qualified companies to implement this initiative.
- Campaign Name: 'Sadak Suraksha Abhiyan' launched by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH)
- Objective: Reduce road fatalities to zero and halve road accidents by 2030
- Key Partners: Zomato and Uber are supporting and integrating the campaign through their platforms to promote responsible driving
Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes holds 18th Plenary meeting
Key Updates:
- The Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes comprises 170 jurisdictions and monitors implementation of international standards on transparency and information exchange.
- Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that digitalisation of the economy and emergence of new financial products demand coordination, trust and timely exchange of relevant information.
- She emphasised that confidentiality and cybersecurity must be maintained with great care while using technological tools like artificial intelligence along with judgement to ensure measurable outcomes from exchanged tax information.
Similar / Past Coverage
- The 16th Finance Commission, led by Dr Arvind Panagariya, submitted its report for 2026-31 to President Droupadi Murmu.
- The report contains recommendations on how the tax pool will be divided between the Centre and states for the next five years beginning April 1, 2026.
- It includes a formula for dividing tax among states based on a weighted sum of population, area, demographic performance, fiscal effort, income distance, and forest cover.
- The report also specifies revenue augmentation measures, arrangements for financing disaster management initiatives with reference to funds under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and determines financing of municipal bodies.
- The 16th Finance Commission was set up on December 31, 2023, and was mandated to submit its report by October 31, with an extension until November 30.
- The commission's members include former senior finance ministry official Annie George Mathew and economist Manoj Panda as full-time members, and SBI Group Chief Economic Advisor Soumya Kanti Ghosh and RBI Deputy Governor T Rabi Sankar as part-time members.
- Implementing Authority: Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority (IEPFA) under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Government of India.
- Key Initiatives Highlighted: Integrated Portal for Claims and Refunds, simplification of low-value claims, financial literacy drives Niveshak Didi and Niveshak Shivirs, and upcoming Niveshak Samadhan – Dial Your CEO programme.
- Panchtattva Vision: Faster refunds, AI-driven solutions, positioning IEPFA as a trust anchor of India’s financial system.
- The 22nd All India Annual TDS Conference is being organised by the Income Tax Department, Madhya Pradesh & Chhattisgarh Region, in collaboration with the Principal Director General of Income Tax (Administration & TPS), CBDT.
- CBDT Chairman Ravi Agrawal will inaugurate the conference at Hotel Taj Lakefront in Bhopal.
- The conference will focus on recent amendments to the Income Tax Act, 2025, including TDS changes and new compounding guidelines issued on October 17, 2024.
Robin Smith passes away aged 62
Key Updates:
- Robin Smith, one of the finest players of fast bowling during an era when the England team were often viewed as a national joke, has died at the age of 62.
- Smith made his England debut in 1988 and played 62 Tests, scoring 6,423 runs at an average of 43.67.
- His unbeaten 167 against Australia at Edgbaston in 1993 remained an England ODI record until 2016.
- Born in Durban, South Africa to British-born parents, he qualified for England via a four-year residency rule and never played for South Africa.
- After retirement he captained Hampshire between 1998 and 2002, later relocating to Perth, Australia, where he openly battled mental-health and alcohol issues.
Similar / Past Coverage
- James Anderson received his knighthood from Princess Anne at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.
- He was awarded the accolade in former British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list in April.
- Anderson is England’s leading wicket-taker of all-time with 704 wickets in 188 Test appearances.
- Sir David Beckham, aged 50, was formally knighted for his services to football and British society.
- He was knighted by King Charles during a ceremony in Berkshire.
- Beckham was previously awarded an OBE by Elizabeth II in 2003.
- He played a role in securing the 2012 Olympics for London and has worked with humanitarian aid organisation Unicef since 2005.
- Beckham became an ambassador for the King's Foundation in 2024.
- He part-owns League Two side Salford City and is also co-owner of MLS side Inter Miami.
- Andre Russell announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL).
- He will join Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) coaching group as a power coach for the 2026 season.
- He has been synonymous with KKR since 2014.
- He is 37 years old.
- He played his first two years for Delhi Daredevils.
- He ends his IPL career with 2,651 runs at a strike rate of 174.18 including 12 fifties and 123 wickets with one five-for in 140 matches.
- Kane Williamson retires as New Zealand's second-highest T20I run-scorer with 2,575 runs from 93 matches.
- He captained New Zealand to the 2021 T20 World Cup final, scoring 85 in the final against Australia.
- Williamson led New Zealand to T20 World Cup semi-finals in 2016 and 2022.
Global Indices for Reforms and Growth (GIRG) initiative monitors 26 global indices
Key Updates:
- The government is reviewing India’s performance on 26 global indices through inter-ministerial coordination to identify gaps and address them, thereby supporting country's growth.
- The Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) of NITI Aayog serves as the knowledge partner and central coordinator for this initiative.
- Under the GIRG framework, 17 nodal ministries have been assigned specific indices and given responsibility for driving improvements.
Similar / Past Coverage
- India Global Forum (IGF) announces a first-of-its-kind $250 million fund anchored by Ved Family Office and Ananta Capital.
- The fund targets Indian consumer and industrial brands for expansion into Middle East, Africa, Europe and beyond.
- IGF partners with DP World to provide participating companies access to world-class logistics and market-entry support.
- MoU signed between Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to jointly research advanced smart technologies for national security.
- Research domains explicitly include "logistics management, operational logistics across tactical, operational and strategic levels, chip design, hardware security, and emerging encryption technologies including homomorphic and blockchain-based systems."
- Collaboration will involve joint studies, seminars, conferences, workshops and capacity-building initiatives to boost capabilities of researchers and scientists in military sciences, logistics, and advanced technical research.
- GSV already has established partnerships with the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Navy for research and education in logistics and supply chain management.
- Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, established in 2022 under an Act of Parliament, is India’s first university dedicated to the transportation and logistics sector and functions under the Ministry of Railways.
- PM Modi proposed a G20 initiative to enhance clean energy transitions by boosting recycling, easing supply chain pressures, and advancing joint research on critical minerals.
- He suggested forging a partnership to make satellite data more accessible and interoperable, proposing the G20 Open Satellite Data Partnership to make G20 space agencies' data available to developing countries for various activities.
- Modi emphasized strengthening global cooperation to deal with natural disasters, stating that 'resilience cannot be built in silos' and advocating for greater collaboration.
- He called for the G20 to promote comprehensive strategies linking nutrition, public health, sustainable agriculture, and disaster preparedness to build a stronger global security system.
- India established the Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group during its G20 Presidency and advocates for a 'development-centric' approach to disaster resilience, which is India's vision behind setting up the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI).
- India proposed a G20 Critical Minerals Circularity Initiative to promote recycling, urban mining, second-life batteries, and related innovations, aiming to strengthen clean energy transitions and supply chain security.
- During the New Delhi G20 Summit, a resolution was made to triple renewable energy and double the energy efficiency rate by 2030, requiring developed countries to fulfill their commitments to provide affordable climate finance and technology.
- Modi highlighted the Deccan Principles on Food Security adopted during India's presidency as a basis for creating a G20 roadmap on food security and called for greater collective action on the climate agenda to strengthen food security.
- He sought a greater voice for the Global South in global governance structures, noting that the inclusion of the African Union as a permanent member of G20 in the New Delhi Summit was a major step forward that must be taken beyond G20.
- A declaration adopted at the G20 Leaders' Summit underlined solidarity, equality, and sustainability as key pillars of inclusive growth, also prominently mentioning energy security, climate action, and disaster resilience and response.
- G20 members comprise the world's major economies, representing 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world's population.
- South Africa is hosting the G20 Summit, marking the first time it is held on the African continent and the fourth consecutive summit of the grouping to be held in the Global South, following Brazil (2024), India (2023), and Indonesia (2022).
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects India’s real GDP to grow at 6.6% in FY2025/26 before moderating to 6.2% in FY2026/27.
- India’s real GDP expanded by 7.8% in the first quarter of FY2025/26.
- GST reform and the resulting reduction in the effective rate are expected to help cushion the adverse impact of the prolonged 50% US tariffs.
- Headline inflation has declined markedly, driven by subdued food prices and the one-off effect of the GST reform.
- IMF Executive Directors called for continued fiscal consolidation and recommended replenishing fiscal buffers through domestic revenue mobilisation.
- The IMF noted that India’s financial and corporate sectors remain resilient, supported by adequate capital buffers and multi-year low non-performing assets.
Harmanpreet Kaur appointed as first female brand ambassador of Punjab National Bank
Key Updates:
- Harmanpreet Kaur has been appointed as the first female brand ambassador of Punjab National Bank (PNB).
- The appointment was announced during the launch of PNB's new initiatives including the RuPay Metal Credit Card Luxura, PNB One 2.0, and Digi Surya Ghar.
- The partnership highlights PNB's focus on inclusivity and excellence in its brand transformation journey.
Similar / Past Coverage
- 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).
- Ramprasad Sridharan was appointed as the Managing Director of Puma India.
- His appointment is effective December 2025.
- He will report to Matthias Bäumer, the Chief Commercial Officer of the company.
- Ramprasad Sridharan brings over 25 years of experience in brand building and commercial strategy across the Asia-Pacific region.
- He most recently served as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of United Colors of Benetton India.
- Prior to that, he held senior leadership roles at Clarks and Reebok India.
- He succeeds Karthik Balagopalan.
- Karthik Balagopalan left the company to pursue other interests.
- Karthik Balagopalan served Puma for two decades.
- TCIL will provide IT consultancy, project management, and turnkey execution of complex technology initiatives for PNB
- Services include RFP lifecycle management, system integration, IT infrastructure rollout, and regulatory-compliant technology deployment
- TCIL may act as project management consultant (PMC) or project implementing agency (PIA) as required
- Objective is to reinforce PNB’s digital backbone, improve operational resilience, and support innovation in customer services
- MoU signed between Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (TCIL) and Punjab National Bank (PNB) on September 3
- 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.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) mandates every bank to offer services in regional languages, Hindi and English.
Key Updates:
- All official customer communication must be issued in Hindi, English and the relevant regional language.
- Branches must display signage, instructions and grievance details in the local language.
- Customer service booklets, passbooks, account opening forms, pay-in slips and complaint procedures must be available in regional languages.
- Digital platforms including mobile apps, websites and internet banking portals must provide regional-language support.
- Call centres must offer customer assistance in local languages.
- Public Sector Banks must recruit Local Bank Officers to deliver regionally fluent service.
- Customer Service Associates must clear a Local Language Proficiency Test before joining branches.
Similar / Past Coverage
- 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).
- 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.
- Bank of Baroda and SIDBI signed an MoU 'to jointly enhance credit flow to small businesses and startups' and will 'provide joint finance for micro, small and medium enterprises'.
- RBL Bank launched two premium credit cards—‘Lumiere’ and ‘Nova’—carrying 'membership fees of up to Rs 50,000 per year'.
- Axis Bank introduced 'a corporate salary solution aimed at startups' that bundles 'financial, lifestyle, and wellness offerings'.
- The Standard opened a new Global Capability Centre in Pune and 'appointed Mohua Sengupta as the country head'.
- 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'.
Credit Assessment Model (CAM) Launched to Simplify MSME Loan Approvals
Key Updates:
- The Government of India has rolled out a Credit Assessment Model (CAM) aimed at transforming loan appraisal for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
- CAM leverages digitally sourced, verifiable data from across the financial ecosystem to enable automated, objective, and transparent loan evaluation.
- The model caters to both Existing-to-Bank (ETB) and New-to-Bank (NTB) MSME borrowers, offering model-based credit limit assessments to accelerate decision-making and enhance the efficiency of lending processes.
Similar / Past Coverage
- The Department of Financial Services (DFS) under the Ministry of Finance launched the Startup Common Application Journey on the Jan Sammarth Portal.
- The initiative aims to "simplify and streamline access to credit for startups across India."
- The Startup Common Application Journey was "developed jointly by the IBA and PSB Alliance."
- The Jan Sammarth Portal will now serve as "a single digital platform where startups can apply for loans, compare offers from various Public Sector Banks, and track their applications through one unified digital system."
- The initiative allows startups to secure "loans of up to Rs 20 crore under the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS)."
- The Credit Guarantee Scheme for Startups (CGSS) is "operated by the National Credit Guarantee Trustee Company (NCGTC) under the aegis of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT)."
- The platform "integrates key data sources such as PAN, GST, Udyam registration, Income Tax Returns, and credit bureau information to ensure quick verification and processing."
- The scheme "includes special interest concessions for women entrepreneurs."
- The joint report “Small Business Spotlight” was released by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) and credit bureau CRIF High Mark in September 2025.
- Maharashtra remained the largest market with Rs 6.0 lakh crore in outstanding credit, while Tamil Nadu (Rs 4.21 lakh crore), Gujarat (Rs 3.69 lakh crore), Uttar Pradesh (Rs 3.61 lakh crore), and Karnataka (Rs 3.18 lakh crore) round out the top five by portfolio size.
- Uttar Pradesh registered highest outstanding portfolio growth of 20.7% on a year-on-year basis.
- India’s total small business credit exposure registered a robust year-on-year (YoY) growth of 19.3%, reaching Rs. 45.3 lakh cr as of June 2025.
- The number of active small business loans increased by 8.7% YoY to 6.9 crore as of June 2025.
- The report defines “Small Business” as businesses with an aggregate credit exposure not exceeding Rs. 5 crore (cr) from the formal lending system.
- Sole Proprietors contributed to over 75% of the outstanding small business credit and more than 85% of active loans.
- Enterprises recorded the highest portfolio growth, with a 24.7% YoY increase in outstanding credit.
- Private sector banks hold the largest share in the overall small business credit portfolio at 34.4%.
- Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFC) dominate lending to sole proprietors, accounting for 42.4% of the portfolio outstanding.
- As of June 2025, urban regions continue to account for the largest share of total portfolio outstanding at 51.9% and rural exposure at 29.0%.
- Low-exposure loans (less than Rs. 10 lakh) account for 72.5% of active loans but only 17.8% of the outstanding portfolio as of June 2025.
- Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah launched two mobile applications — Sahakar Digi Pay and Sahakar Digi Loan — for urban cooperative banks.
- The objective of these apps is to promote digital payment adoption, which is described as "essential for their survival in an increasingly cashless economy."
- The government's efforts include professionalising urban cooperative banks (UCBs) and cooperative credit societies.
- A target was set to onboard 1,500 urban cooperative banks to the digital platform within two years.
- The minister set an ambitious target for NAFCUB — to establish at least one additional UCB in every town with a population exceeding two lakh within five years.
- The federation (NAFCUB) was directed to convert successful cooperative credit societies into UCBs.
- Since the formation of a separate cooperation ministry in 2021-22, the central government has undertaken several policy reforms to modernise the sector.
- Model bylaws for Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) were framed, which all states adopted, enabling PACS to computerise and expand services.
- Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurates Co-op Kumbh 2025 in New Delhi.
- Co-op Kumbh 2025 is an International Conference on the Urban Cooperative Credit Sector.
- The two-day conference is being jointly organised by the National Federation of Urban Co-operative Banks and Credit Societies (NAFCUB) and the Ministry of Cooperation.
- The theme of the conference is Digitalising Dreams – Empowering Communities.
- Mr Shah said the aim should be to establish an Urban Cooperative Bank in every town with a population of more than two lakh within five years.
- Tribhuvan Cooperative University has been established to connect the younger generation with cooperatives and also to prepare professionals for the cooperative sector.
- The Government of India has made model bylaws for Primary Agricultural Credit Societies PACS and these have been adopted by every state.
- Sahakar DigiPay and Sahakar DigiLoan Apps, which have been launched, will enable even the smallest urban cooperative societies to join the new era of digital payments.
Tamil Nadu secures GI tags for five products
Key Updates:
- Tamil Nadu has added five new products to its Geographical Indication list, including Woraiyur cotton sarees, Ambasamudram wooden toys, Thooyamalli rice, Namakkal soapstone utensils, and Kavindapadi country sugar.
- The initiative was led by the Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation (Poompuhar) and the Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board along with NGOs and weavers societies.
- The GI recognition aims to protect the geographical uniqueness of these products and support the livelihoods of artisans and farmers.
Similar / Past Coverage
- The Ministry of Education will host the fourth edition of Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS) 4.0 starting December 2.
- This event will be celebrating the profound civilisational links between Tamil Nadu and Kashi.
- This initiative honours the cultural, linguistic, and people-to-people connections between the two regions, embodying the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshta Bharat.
- The theme for 2025 is “Learn Tamil – Tamil Karkalam", aiming to promote Tamil learning across India and foster appreciation for India’s classical linguistic and literary heritage.
- In KTS 4.0, more than 1,400 delegates from Tamil Nadu will participate under seven categories.
- Delegates will undertake an 8-day experiential tour, including visits to Varanasi, Prayagraj, and Ayodhya, with interactions, seminars, cultural performances, and exposure to local cuisine, handicrafts, and heritage.
- They will visit significant Tamil heritage locations in Varanasi, such as the ancestral house of Mahakavi Subramanya Bharatiyar, Kedar Ghat, the Kasi Madam in the “Little Tamil Nadu" area, Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple, and Mata Annapurna Temple.
- Additionally, they will visit the Tamil Department at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) for academic and literary interactions.
- The programme is organised by IIT Madras and BHU Varanasi, with support from the Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation, and the Government of Uttar Pradesh.
- Major Initiatives under KTS 4.0 include Sage Agasthya vehicle expedition from Tenkasi to Kashi; teaching Tamil in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh schools; and Tamil learning study tours for students of Uttar Pradesh.
- Interested candidates can apply at kashitamil.iitm.ac.in.
- The registration window will close at 8 PM on November 21, 2025, and a selection quiz will be conducted on November 23, 2025 from 10 AM to 5 PM.
- IIT Madras and Guidance Tamil Nadu partnered to develop a state-level dashboard for start-ups and innovation, called ‘INNOVATION-TN’.
- The platform seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the start-up ecosystem of Tamil Nadu and showcases its innovation prowess to stakeholders including investors, industries, financial institutions, and start-up founders.
- This initiative is highlighted as the first of its kind in India.
- INNOVATION-TN was conceptualized by the Centre for Research on Start-ups and Risk Financing (CREST) at IIT Madras, along with IIT Madras-incubated start-up YNOS Venture Engine.
- IIT Madras would provide the academic oversight and research inputs to ensure the robustness, reliability and relevance of the Innovation Dashboard.
- Guidance Tamil Nadu would promote long-term strategic engagement between academic and industry and provide institutional support, visibility, and alignment with the state’s innovation priorities.
- As of August 2025, Tamil Nadu has close to 19,000 start-ups, which have created more than 2.2 lakh jobs and attracted investment exceeding Rs 1,20,000 crores.
- The state also has 228 active incubators and start-up enabling organizations, which is the largest number for any state in the country.
- Tamil Nadu signed 33 MoUs during CM Stalin’s visit to the UK and Germany, securing investment commitments worth Rs 15,516 crore.
- The agreements are projected to generate employment for over 17,600 people across multiple sectors.
- In Germany, 26 MoUs worth Rs 7,020 crore were finalised, expected to create more than 15,000 jobs.
- Knorr-Bremse committed Rs 2,000 crore to establish a facility in Tamil Nadu for railway braking systems and doors, creating 3,500 jobs.
- Nordex Group pledged Rs 1,000 crore to expand operations, generating 2,500 jobs and reinforcing the State’s green industrialisation.
- ebm-papst will invest Rs 201 crore over five years to strengthen its Global Capability Centre and manufacturing base, adding 250 jobs.
- In the UK, Wilson Power committed Rs 300 crore and Britannia RFID will invest Rs 520 crore in Tamil Nadu projects.
- Scheme name: ‘Women’s Wellness on Wheels’ – 38 fully-equipped vehicles to be rolled out, one in each of Tamil Nadu’s 38 districts (“Tamil Nadu plans to launch 38 vehicles in 38 districts under the scheme”).
- Objective: Protect women from cancer by enabling “complete check-ups for women to screen them for cancer risks such as cervical cancer and breast cancer” inside the mobile units.
- Key feature: These are “fully-equipped vehicles, the first of its kind in India” for cancer screening of women.
- Associated initiative: Free HPV vaccination for girls aged 14 and below to prevent cervical cancer, to be implemented in private hospitals at a cost of ₹ 36 crore.
NAKSHA and LandStack Symposium unveils road map for digital overhaul of urban land records
Key Updates:
- Department of Land Resources (DoLR), Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) will host the National Symposium on NAKSHA and LandStack.
- NAKSHA pilot uses aerial and feature-extraction technologies to map urban land parcels and already covers over 157 cities.
- LandStack is envisioned as a unified national-level digital land-information ecosystem integrating cadastral maps with geospatial and administrative records.
- UrPro Card proposed as a single trusted digital property document for legal, transferable, and universally acceptable proof of ownership.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Policy Name: Kerala Urban Policy aimed at guiding the state's development trajectory by 2050
- Objective: Manage Kerala's imminent urban expansion and address existing issues from past unplanned growth
- Key Event: International urban conclave in Kochi on September 12-13 to finalize Urban Commission's recommendations
- Portal URL: rera.mohua.gov.in – a common platform for stakeholders to enhance transparency and share best practices among States/UTs.
- Objective: Strengthen transparency and accountability in the real estate sector and empower homebuyers.
- Key Feature: Nation-wide database of projects through integration of State RERA websites to anticipate delays and curtail stalled projects using AI tools.
- 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.
- Portal Name & URL: Unified RERA Portal accessible at rera.mohua.gov.in
- Launch Authority: Union Minister of Housing & Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Manohar Lal Khattar
- Primary Objectives: Enhance transparency, facilitate sharing of best practices among States/UTs, and empower homebuyers through timely project delivery
- Key Functionalities: Common platform for stakeholders; nationwide database of real-estate projects to support informed buyer decisions and policy monitoring
- Implementation Support: Council urged States/UTs to adopt Amitabh Kant committee recommendations for stalled projects and to enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for stronger RERA compliance
Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration 2025 rewards exemplary civil-servant initiatives
Key Updates:
- The Government of India has approved the Scheme for the Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public Administration, 2025.
- The scheme will confer 5 awards under Category 1: Holistic Development of Districts under 11 priority sector programmes.
- The scheme will confer 5 awards under Category 2: Aspirational Blocks Program.
- The scheme will confer 6 awards under Category 3: Innovations for Central Ministries/Departments States, Districts.
- Each awarded District/organization will receive a Trophy, Scroll and an incentive of Rs. 20 lakhs to be utilized for implementation of project/programme or bridging resources gaps in any area of public welfare.
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- Smt. N. Bhuvaneswari, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director, Heritage Foods Limited, received the Distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Directors for 2025.
- Heritage Foods Limited was awarded the Golden Peacock for Excellence in Corporate Governance at the IOD India London Global Convention.
- Heritage Foods was the sole FMCG company among the 11 national winners recognised at the 2025 award ceremony.
- Scheme Name: 6th National Water Awards (NWA) 2024, launched by Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD & GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti
- Launch Year: Awards announced for 2024; application process opened on 23 October 2024 on Rashtriya Puraskar Portal of Ministry of Home Affairs
- Objective: "creating awareness among the people about the importance of water and motivating them to adopt best water usage practices" and recognising efforts towards "Jal Samridh Bharat"
- Key Feature: 46 winners (including joint winners) selected across 10 categories—Best State, District, Village Panchayat, Urban Local Body, School/College, Industry, Water User Association, Institution, Civil Society, and Individual
- Implementing Agency: Evaluation by Jury Committee; ground-truthing by Central Water Commission (CWC) and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)
- Award Ceremony: To be held on 18 November 2025 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, with Hon’ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu as Chief Guest
- The National Gopal Ratna Awards (NGRA) 2025 are announced by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
- The NGRA is one of the highest national honours in the livestock and dairy sector, aiming to encourage milk-producing farmers, dairy cooperative societies/MPCs/FPOs, and Artificial Insemination Technicians (AITs).
- Awards will be conferred on 26th November 2025 as part of the National Milk Day celebrations.
- The awards are given in three categories: Best Dairy farmer rearing indigenous cattle/buffalo breeds, Best Dairy Cooperative society/ Milk Producer company/ Dairy Farmer producer organization, and Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT).
- For the 'Best Dairy Farmer' and 'Best DCS/FPO/MPCs' categories, monetary prizes are ₹5,00,000 for 1st rank, ₹3,00,000 for 2nd rank, ₹2,00,000 for 3rd rank, and ₹2,00,000 for a Special Award for North Eastern Region (NER)/Himalayan States.
- For the 'Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT)' category, the award consists of a Certificate of merit and a memento only, with no cash prize.
- The National Gopal Ratna Awards have been conferred annually since 2021 under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM), which was launched in December 2014 to focus on the scientific conservation and development of indigenous bovine breeds.
- The inaugural Ramoji Excellence Awards 2025 concluded this evening at Ramoji Film City, celebrating distinguished individuals whose exceptional contributions uplift communities, advance knowledge, and inspire the nation.
- Instituted in memory of Sri Ramoji Rao garu, the awards honoured seven exemplary personalities across diverse fields.
- **Shri Jaideep Hardikar** received the Excellence in Journalism Award as 'A distinguished journalist and author, Shri Hardikar has spent over two decades reporting on India’s rural realities with deep empathy and insight.'
- **Shri Srikanth Bolla** received the Youth Icon Award as 'Founder & Chairman of Bollant Industries and an MIT alumnus, Shri Bolla has become a national symbol of resilience and inclusive leadership.'
- **Prof. Sathupati Prasanna Sree** received the Excellence in Art & Culture Award as 'A visionary scholar who created scripts for 19 tribal languages' and 'Vice-Chancellor of Adikavi Nannayya University.'
- **Smt. Amla Ashok Ruia** received the Excellence in Rural Development Award, 'Popularly known as the “Water Mother,” Smt. Ruia has transformed drought-prone villages through innovative water-harvesting initiatives' through 'Aakar Charitable Trust.'
- **Shri Akash Tandon** received the Excellence in Service to Mankind Award as 'Founder of Pehchaan – The Street School, Shri Tandon has built a movement providing education to thousands of underprivileged children in Delhi-NCR.'
- **Smt. Pallabi Ghosh** received the Women Achiever Award as 'A fearless crusader against human trafficking, Smt. Ghosh has rescued over 10,000 women and children and impacted more than 75,000 lives' through the 'Impact and Dialogue Foundation.'
- **Prof. Madhavi Latha Gali** received the Excellence in Science & Technology Award as 'A pioneering geotechnical engineer at IISc Bengaluru, Prof. Latha contributed to major national infrastructure projects, including the Chenab Railway Bridge.'
MoU between Ministry of Tourism and Mastercard to strengthen India's position as a global tourism hotspot
Key Updates:
- The Ministry of Tourism (MoT), Government of India and Mastercard have signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
- The collaboration aims to boost India's appeal as a premium destination for domestic and international travelers.
- The partnership will leverage Mastercard's global platforms, including its renowned Priceless program, to spotlight India's rich cultural, spiritual, natural, and culinary treasures worldwide.
- The initiative will strengthen the tourism ecosystem by engaging public and private stakeholders to promote secure and responsible digital payment practices.
- As the official Knowledge Partner, MoT will identify strategic travel corridors and facilitate partnerships with relevant entities such as State Tourism Boards, the Archaeological Survey of India, and Ministry of Culture.
- The MoU will strengthen the tourism value chain by encouraging the responsible and secure use of payment systems, supporting the adoption of safe and seamless digital payments, and exploring the introduction of innovative, co-branded payment products.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Master Capital Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of Master Trust, has received in-principle approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to sponsor a mutual fund.
- India’s mutual fund industry assets under management have broken through the Rs 70 trillion mark.
- The proposed mutual fund will create equity, hybrid, and multi-asset schemes using a combination of quantitative investment methodologies with a bottom-up approach.
- The Government of Meghalaya, through the Meghalaya State Skill Development Society ( MSSDS ), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Asean One Co. Ltd. , Japan, in Tokyo.
- This partnership focuses on building pathways in healthcare, caregiving, hospitality, IT, and other sectors aligned with Japan’s workforce needs, while also providing Japanese language and cultural integration training.
- It will support the training and overseas placement of Meghalaya’s youth, starting with 500 candidates in the first year and scaling up to 5,000 over the next five years.
- The MoU is an outcome of Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s official visit to Japan in April 2025, where he articulated a vision to create international career pathways for the youth.
- The initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of making India a Global Skill Hub.
- Special Economic Package announced by PM Modi to support Mauritius’ infrastructure, employment and healthcare - “India will help Mauritius build hospitals, roads and deliver choppers.”
- Seven MoUs signed between India and Mauritius during PM Modi’s meeting with Mauritius PM Navinchandra Ramgoolam in Varanasi.
- India to establish first overseas Jan Aushadhi Kendra and an AYUSH Centre of Excellence in Mauritius.
- India will support construction of a 500-bed Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam National Hospital and a Veterinary School and Animal Hospital in Mauritius.
- Projects to be advanced include Chagos Marine Protected Area, ATC Tower at SSR International Airport, and expansion of highways and ring roads in Mauritius.
- India commits to strengthening security of Mauritius’s Exclusive Economic Zone and enhancing its maritime capacity.
- Union Minister of Commerce & Industry Piyush Goyal stated that India will work towards strengthening trade and investment ties with Mexico.
- Piyush Goyal held a discussion with Francisco Cervantes, President of the Business Coordination Council of Mexico.
- The discussion focused on strengthening India-Mexico trade & investment ties, deepening business collaborations, and exploring new opportunities for mutual growth.
- A business delegation from Mexico is expected to visit India to further advance the partnership.
Bharat Dynamics Limited secures Rs 2,461.62 crore Indian Army order for ATGMs and SAMs
Key Updates:
- Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) has secured additional orders worth Rs 2,461.62 crore from the Indian Army since the last disclosure on November 13, 2025.
- Major orders include supply of Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs) and Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) under emergency procurement.
- ATGM contracts are scheduled to be fulfilled over a period of 42 months, while the SAM orders are expected to be completed within 12 months.
- Shares of Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) jumped 2.12% to their day’s high of Rs 1,561.95 on the BSE following the order announcement.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Zen Technologies Ltd. announced that it has won two orders to upgrade anti-drone systems from the Ministry of Defence.
- The orders are worth ₹ 289 crore.
- The orders will be executed within a year.
- The company is Hyderabad-based.
- The order was awarded by a domestic entity.
- The company clarified that the order does not involve any related-party transactions.
- The promoters or promoter group do not have any interest in the entity.
- Exercise Trishul: tri-service 12-day drill in Rajasthan & Gujarat involving ~40,000 troops, warships, missile batteries, special forces, Rafale & Su-30 aircraft to test post-Sindoor readiness against Pakistan
- Exercise Astra Shakti: Northern Command drill in Ladakh validating precision artillery, swarm drones, counter-UAS systems and ITBP synergy against China & Pakistan
- New force structures: two Rudra all-arms brigades and five Bhairav light commando battalions already raised; 380 Ashni drone platoons (strike & surveillance) being created for infantry battalions
- India recorded its highest-ever defence production of Rs 1.54 lakh crore and record exports of Rs 23,622 crore in FY25.
- Indigenous production stood at Rs 1,27,434 crore in FY24, marking a 174% rise compared to FY15.
- DPSUs and other PSUs accounted for approximately 77% of total production, while the private sector contributed 23%.
- The private sector accounted for over Rs 15,233 crore of defence exports, while DPSUs contributed around Rs 8,389 crore.
- FY25 saw 193 defence contracts worth Rs 2,09,050 crore signed, with 177 contracts worth nearly Rs 1.69 lakh crore going to domestic industries.
- India now sources at least 65% of its defence needs from local producers.
- Government targets Rs 3 lakh crore defence production and Rs 50,000 crore in defence exports by 2029.
- India exports defence products to over 100 nations, including the United States, France, and Armenia.
- HAL share price up 13.57%, BDL up 37.24%, BEL up 44.78%, Bharat Forge up 11.02%, and Paras Defence up 48.13% so far in 2025.
- Contract value: ₹2,095.70 crore signed between Ministry of Defence and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL)
- Equipment: INVAR laser-guided anti-tank missiles to be inducted into Indian Army’s T-90 tanks
- Objective: Strengthen lethality and firepower of T-90 tanks and enhance mechanised warfare capabilities
India finishes eighth in WorldSkills Asia Competition debut
Key Updates:
- India bagged one silver, two bronze medals, and three medallions for excellence.
- The competition was held in Chinese Taipei.
- India participated with 23 competitors across 21 skill categories.
- 29 countries took part in the event.
Similar / Past Coverage
- India’s men’s recurve team beat Kazakhstan 5-3 to reach the final against South Korea.
- India’s women’s compound team beat Bangladesh 227-234 to reach the final against South Korea.
- The women’s compound team comprises Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Prithika Pradeep and Deepshikha.
- Deepshikha tops the individual compound rankings with 705 points.
- The compound final is scheduled for November 13 and the recurve final for November 14.
- China defeated India 4-1 in the Women’s Hockey Asia Cup 2025 final.
- Navneet Kaur scored India’s lone goal in the first minute from a penalty corner.
- China’s victory earned them a place in next year’s Hockey World Cup to be held in Belgium and Netherlands.
- China finished the Super 4 stage as the top team while India finished second.
- Japan and Korea ended the Super 4 stage in third and fourth positions respectively.
- Gurpreet Singh narrowly missed world championship gold in the 25m Centre Fire Pistol, securing a silver medal on inner-10 count.
- He had to settle for silver, losing the gold to Ukraine's Pavlo Korostylov on inner-10 count after both shooters finished with identical totals at the Olympic Shooting Range.
- This is Gurpreet's second individual World Championships medal, his previous being a silver in the 2018 25m Standard Pistol event.
- France's Yann Pierre Louis Fridrici secured the bronze.
- India wrapped up the World Championships in third place with 13 medals — three gold, six silver and four bronze.
- China dominated the overall standings with 12 gold, while South Korea finished second with seven gold.
- Gurpreet delivered a spirited comeback over the two-day competition, producing a superb 296-10x (98, 99, 99) in the rapid section after finishing ninth in the precision stage with 288-8x (95, 97, 96).
- Korostylov won gold thanks to 29 inner 10s and a flawless 100 in the final rapid series.
- India's Harpreet Singh, second after the precision round (291-10x), slipped to ninth overall after a disappointing rapid score of 286-6x.
- India's medal haul featured gold from Samrat Rana (10m Air Pistol) and Ravinder Singh (50m Standard Pistol).
- India defeated Chinese Taipei 35-28 in the final to win its second consecutive World Cup title.
- India went undefeated throughout the tournament.
- The Indian women’s kabaddi team won the Women’s Kabaddi World Cup in Dhaka.
- India won all its group matches to reach the semifinals, where it defeated Iran 33–21 to enter the final.
- Chinese Taipei also had an unbeaten run in its group and beat host Bangladesh 25–18 in the semifinal.
- The 2025 edition of the tournament is only the second time it has been held.
- The last iteration of it was held in Patna in 2012, with India coming out on top against Iran in the final in a tournament with 16 teams.
- Former India captain Ajay Thakur said, “It is a very proud moment for India as the women’s team retained the World Cup trophy in Dhaka.”
- Former India international and Haryana Steelers head coach Manpreet Singh said, “The women’s team has delivered a performance the whole nation can be proud of.”
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) retains SBI, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank as Domestic Systemically Important Banks.
Key Updates:
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has kept State Bank of India, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank on its Domestic Systemically Important Banks list based on data as on March 31, 2025.
- The bucketing structure for these banks remains unchanged from the 2024 D-SIB list.
- RBI had announced State Bank of India and ICICI Bank as D-SIBs in 2015 and 2016, while HDFC Bank was classified as a D-SIB in 2017.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Bank of India and State Bank of India (SBI) collaborate on co-financing, capacity building, and co-branded initiatives.
- The MoU provides a framework for the two banks to collaborate on multiple fronts.
- The partnership addresses structured project financing in infrastructure, energy, and industrial development sectors.
- State Bank of India (SBI) offers retail banking, corporate banking, treasury operations, and international banking.
- Bank of India focuses on corporate banking, project financing, and trade services.
- South Indian Bank has partnered with Ark Neo Financial Services’ DhanLAP platform to offer a fully paperless ‘Loan Against Mutual Funds’ facility.
- Investors can borrow up to 50 percent of the value of equity mutual funds and up to 70 percent of the value of debt mutual funds.
- The facility is available to individuals aged between 18 and 75 years, including non-customers of the bank, after digital KYC using PAN and Aadhaar.
- State Bank of India executed its inaugural gold trade as a special category client (SCC) on the India International Bullion Exchange (IFSC) Ltd.
- SBI was the first bank to become a Trading-cum-Clearing (TCM) Member at India International Bullion Exchange in 2024.
- As a special category client, SBI facilitates seamless bullion transactions for jewellers, bullion dealers, and other stakeholders importing gold through IIBX.
- South Indian Bank has launched a premium savings account exclusively for women, branded as SIB HER Account.
- The account offers higher savings interest through an auto-sweep facility on balances above ₹1 lakh and unlimited ATM withdrawals.
- It includes complimentary airport lounge access, free air accident insurance of ₹1 crore, and personal accident cover of ₹1 lakh.
- Customers can access cancer care insurance of up to ₹25 lakh at discounted premiums and receive concessions on retail loans, including housing, vehicle and business loans designed for women.
- The SIB HER Account is available to both domestic and NRI customers and allows women account holders to add up to three free family accounts.
- Account holders receive a 50% waiver on locker rentals along with shopping, wellness and lifestyle offers.
- The account requires a monthly balance of ₹50,000, which can be waived if customers maintain a fixed deposit of ₹1 lakh or achieve debit card spending of ₹50,000 in the prior month.
Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) clears ICICI Prudential Asset Management and three others for IPO launch
Key Updates:
- ICICI Prudential Asset Management's IPO will be entirely an offer for sale (OFS) worth ₹10,000 crore.
- Prudential Corporation Holdings will sell 1.76 crore shares in the OFS.
- ICICI Bank owns 51% of ICICI Prudential AMC; Prudential Corporation Holdings holds the remaining 49%.
- Annu Projects' IPO comprises a fresh issue of 2.2 crore shares.
- Technocraft Ventures will raise capital through a fresh issue of 95.05 lakh shares and an OFS of 23.76 lakh shares.
- Powerica's IPO includes a fresh issue of ₹700 crore and an OFS of ₹700 crore.
Similar / Past Coverage
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved the acquisition of certain businesses from ICICI Venture Funds Management Company Limited by ICICI Prudential Asset Management Company Limited.
- The Acquirer is a joint venture between ICICI Bank Limited and Prudential Corporation Holdings Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Prudential Plc.
- Target Businesses include managing and/or sponsoring five SEBI-registered alternative investment funds and providing non-exclusive, non-binding advice to an identified offshore investment fund.
- Markets regulator Sebi has introduced special measures for voluntary delisting of PSUs, where the government owns 90 per cent or more stake.
- Such measures include relaxations from the requirement of a two-thirds threshold for approving delisting by public shareholders and in the mode of computation of the floor price.
- Also, such delisting can happen at a fixed price - at least 15 per cent premium over the floor price.
- In its notification dated September 1, Sebi said the rule is applicable for PSUs-- excluding banks, Non-banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) and insurance companies-- where the state owns 90 per cent or more stake.
- The floor price for delisting will be calculated using the highest of three options-- volume weighted average price paid during the 52 weeks immediately preceding the reference date; highest price paid during the 26 weeks immediately preceding the reference date; and the price determined by the joint valuation report obtained by two independent registered valuers.
- The amount which is due to the public shareholders who have not tendered their shares during the period of one year from the date of delisting would be transferred to an appropriate account of designated stock exchange.
- This would be held for a period of 7 years, during which time the investors can claim such amount from the stock exchange.
- Bandhan AMC Limited (Bandhan AMC) has secured approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to launch Specialised Investment Funds (SIFs).
- The approval allows Bandhan AMC to design and roll out innovative equity, debt, and hybrid strategies — including unhedged short derivative positions.
- The new suite of products from Bandhan AMC will be introduced under the “Arudha SIF” platform.
- Specialised Investment Funds (SIFs) offer greater flexibility for fund managers and allow for interval schemes, where investors can subscribe daily but redeem only on specific days.
- SIFs are launched under the mutual fund trust structure, overseen by trustees and audited with the same rigour as mutual funds, but with more flexible redemption structures and strategy options.
- Vishal Kapoor is the CEO of Bandhan AMC.
- Quant Mutual Fund became the first asset management company in India to secure SEBI approval for an SIF just last month.
- Quant Mutual Fund's SIF, named QSIF Equity Long-Short Fund, allows long-short strategies across equity, debt, and hybrid categories.
- Invesco Mutual Fund has received market regulator Sebi approval to transfer a controlling 60 per cent stake to IndusInd International Holdings Ltd (IIHL).
- The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) provided all approvals to the pending applications by Invesco India for a change in control of Invesco AMC, Invesco Trustee Company, and to the PMS business.
- The Competition Commission of India (CCI) had approved the acquisition of shareholding in each of Invesco Asset Management (India) Private Ltd and Invesco Trustee Private Ltd by Hinduja Group's firm IIHL in August 2024.
- The proposed combination pertains to the acquisition of 60 per cent shareholding in each of Invesco Asset Management (India) Private Ltd (Invesco AMC) and Invesco Trustee Private Ltd (Invesco Trustee) by IIHL.
- Invesco AMC is registered as a portfolio manager under the SEBI (Portfolio Managers) Regulations, 2020.
- Invesco has combined onshore and offshore advisory and assets under management of Rs 85,393 crore as of March 31, 2024.
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) grants Razorpay Payment Aggregator – Cross Border licence.
Key Updates:
- Razorpay becomes one of a select cohort of fintechs authorised to facilitate both inward and outward cross-border payments with complete regulatory oversight.
- Indian businesses can accept payments in over 130 currencies through cards, wallets, and local bank transfers, achieving 95% success rates on international transactions.
- Global platforms can go live in India in real-time without setting up an India entity, accessing UPI, RuPay, EMIs, netbanking, and over 100 local methods via a single integration.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Razorpay is the first Indian payment aggregator to integrate Apple Pay for global transactions.
- During its two-week beta phase, Razorpay processed over 5,000 Apple Pay transactions with a 95% success rate.
- Razorpay completed its reverse flip in May, shifting its parent company’s base from the United States back to India.
- The fintech unicorn is valued at $8 billion and has raised approximately $742 million to date.
- PayRupy has partnered with BRISKPE to provide an integrated global payments platform.
- BRISKPE is identified as a licensed Payment Aggregator – Cross Border (PA-CB).
- The partnership aims to deliver a one-stop solution for domestic and international money movement.
- Moiz Chohan is the Founder & CEO of PayRupy, and Firas Chohan is the Co-Founder & CTO of PayRupy.
- Sanjay Tripathy is the Co-Founder & CEO of BRISKPE.
- The Reserve Bank of India stated that the process of interlinking UPI with the Eurosystem’s TARGET Instant Payment Settlement (TIPS) platform has entered the realisation phase.
- The proposed link is expected to facilitate cross-border remittances between India and the Euro Area and benefit users across both jurisdictions.
- The RBI noted that it will continue working with the European Central Bank alongside NPCI International Payments Limited on technical integration, risk management, and settlement mechanisms required to operationalise the link.
- Fintech firm Easebuzz has secured authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a full-service Payment Aggregator.
- The authorisation covers online, offline, and cross-border transactions.
- Easebuzz is now among only three Indian payment fintechs to hold all three key licenses.
- This approval enables Easebuzz to provide merchants with end-to-end payment capabilities, including online payment acceptance, in-person payments through POS devices and UPI soundboxes, and cross-border inward and outward transactions.
- Rohit Prasad, MD & CEO of Easebuzz, stated that the move stresses the RBI’s “progressive approach” in enabling innovation across integrated payment ecosystems.
- Easebuzz currently serves more than 2.5 lakh merchants.
- It processes around 3 million transactions per day.
- Its annualised Gross Transaction Value stands at over $50 billion.
- For FY2024-25, the company reported revenue of ₹656 crore and a net profit of ₹19 crore.
- Easebuzz continues to focus on sector-specific SaaS integrations as part of its long-term strategy.
- Its verticalised solutions cater to sectors such as education, insurance, NBFCs, travel, e-commerce, retail, government and real estate, embedding payment capabilities via SaaS APIs to digitise and streamline financial workflows.
Government data shows India’s FDI inflow rises 18% to USD 35.18 bn in Apr-Sep
Key Updates:
- India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) rose over 18% in April-September to USD 35.18 billion.
- FDI equity inflow during April-September stood at USD 16.55 billion.
- Inflows from the US more than doubled to USD 6.62 billion in April-September.
- Services sector accounted for 16% of total FDI equity inflow, amounting to USD 5.10 billion.
- Maharashtra received the highest share of FDI equity inflow at 31%, totaling USD 10.57 billion.
- Karnataka and Gujarat followed with 21% and 15% of FDI equity inflow respectively.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in India surged by 15% to reach USD 18.62 billion during the April-June quarter of the current fiscal year.
- Inflows from the United States nearly tripled to USD 5.61 billion, compared to USD 1.50 billion in April-June 2024-25.
- Total FDI rose to USD 25.2 billion during the reviewed quarter, compared to USD 22.5 billion in the corresponding period of 2024-25.
- Karnataka topped the list of states receiving FDI, with inflows of USD 5.69 billion, followed by Maharashtra at USD 5.36 billion.
- Sector-wise, computer software and hardware attracted USD 5.4 billion, services received USD 3.28 billion, and the automobile sector brought in USD 1.29 billion.
- The government will introduce the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Winter session of Parliament to raise the FDI limit in insurance from 74% to 100%.
- The bill seeks to amend the Insurance Act 1938, the Life Insurance Corporation Act 1956 and the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority Act 1999.
- So far, the insurance sector has attracted Rs 82,000 crore in FDI.
- The Securities Markets Code Bill, 2025 will merge the SEBI Act 1992, Depositories Act 1996 and Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act 1956 into a single framework.
- The United States and Singapore together accounted for over one-third of the FDI in India during 2024-25.
- Out of 45,702 responding entities, 41,517 reported foreign direct investment and/or overseas direct investment in their balance sheet for March 2025.
- The US share of total FDI during 2024-25 was 20 per cent, followed by Singapore (14.3 per cent), Mauritius (13.3 per cent), the UK (11.2 per cent) and the Netherlands (9 per cent).
- Total FDI in 2024-25 stood at Rs 68,75,931 crore, up from Rs 61,88,243 crore in the preceding year.
- The manufacturing sector held the highest share of total FDI equity capital at market value (48.4 per cent) and at face value (37.8 per cent).
- Outward direct investment in 2024-25 was Rs 11,66,790 crore, with Singapore (22.2 per cent), the US (15.4 per cent), the UK (12.8 per cent) and the Netherlands (9.6 per cent) as top destinations.
- Growth of ODI in rupee terms (17.9 per cent) outpaced that of FDI (11.1 per cent) in 2024-25, bringing the inward-to-outward DI ratio to 5.9 times from 6.3 times a year earlier.
- Gross FDI inflows reached $81 billion in FY 2024-25, an increase of 13.7% from the previous year.
- FDI inflows fell to $71 billion in FY 2023-24 after peaking in FY 2021-22, before recovering slightly.
- In the four years after the COVID-19 pandemic, gross inflows recovered at an annual rate of 0.3%, while disinvestments and repatriations by foreign investors grew at 18.9% annually.
- During the post-pandemic period, India saw $308.5 billion in gross FDI inflows, but foreign investors withdrew or repatriated $153.9 billion.
- After adjusting for outward FDI by Indian companies, the net retained capital within India fell to $0.4 billion.
- Disinvestments surged by 51% to $44.4 billion in FY 2023-24 and rose again in FY 2024-25 to $51.4 billion.
- Net FDI in May 2025 was down 98% to $35 million due to lower gross inflows and higher repatriation.
- The manufacturing sector's share of total FDI dropped to 12% due to incredible outflows.
- FDI outflows by Indian firms grew from $13 billion in FY 2011-12 to $29.2 billion in FY 2024-25.
- Maharashtra and Karnataka accounted for 51% of FDI in India in FY25, as stated by the government.
- Around half of India’s FDI outflows are directed toward developed economies.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) retains India FY26 growth at 6.7%
Key Updates:
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) keeps India’s FY26 GDP growth forecast unchanged at 6.7%.
- India’s Q2FY26 GDP growth hit a six-quarter high of 8.2%.
- OECD projects India’s growth at 6.2% for FY27 and 6.4% the following fiscal year.
- Higher US tariffs—50% including a 25% penalty on Russian oil imports—are expected to cut FY26 export growth by 0.4 percentage points and FY27 by 0.3 percentage points.
- GST reform launch in September 2025 could add 0.1 percentage point to growth.
- Retail inflation dropped to a record-low 0.25% in October.
- OECD sees scope for RBI policy rate to decline toward 5% by FY2026–27 if inflation stays within target.
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.
- ICRA has upgraded its GDP growth forecast to 6.5% from 6% for FY26.
- GST on 99% of goods has been slashed from 12% to 5%.
- GST on oil and gas exploration has been increased from 12% to 18%.
- ICRA expects the Reserve Bank of India to retain its growth forecast of 6.5% for the country’s full fiscal year GDP.
- ICRA expects lower GST to benefit renewable, FMCG, healthcare, consumer electronics, and automobiles industry.
- Fitch Ratings raised India’s FY26 real GDP growth forecast to 6.9% from 6.5%.
- India’s real GDP grew 7.8% in the April–June quarter, up from 7.4% in the previous quarter.
- Retail inflation hit a low of 1.6% in July, the lowest level since June 2017.
- Core inflation eased below 4% for the first time in six months.
- Fitch expects the RBI to cut policy rates by 25 basis points later this year and keep them steady through 2026.
- 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.
Duplantis & McLaughlin-Levrone named world athletes of year
Key Updates:
- Armand Duplantis and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone were crowned world athletes of the year at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco.
- Sweden's Duplantis set four new pole vault world records in 2025, becoming the first human to clear the 6.30m barrier at the World Championships in Tokyo.
- Duplantis was undefeated in 16 competitions in 2025, winning world titles both indoors and outdoors, and a fifth consecutive Diamond League crown.
- McLaughlin-Levrone went undefeated through 2025 in both the 400m and 400m hurdles.
- McLaughlin-Levrone became 400m world champion in Tokyo, running 47.78 seconds, which was the second fastest time in history and broke the 42-year-old championship record.
- Duplantis won the athlete of the year prize for men's field.
- McLaughlin-Levrone won the athlete of the year prize for women's track.
- Australian Nicola Olyslagers, who won world high jump titles both indoors and outdoors, was named women's field athlete of the year.
- Kenya's world 800m champion Emmanuel Wanyonyi won the men's track prize.
- Spain's Maria Perez, who won world titles in both the 20km race walk and the 35km race walk, and London Marathon and Berlin Marathon winner Sabastian Sawe won the out of stadium awards.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the women’s 400m at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo with a time of 47.78 seconds.
- Her 47.78-second run is the second-fastest 400m time in world history, behind Marita Koch’s 47.60-second world record set in 1985.
- This victory marks McLaughlin-Levrone’s fourth world title and her first in the 400m flat event, making her the first person to win world titles in both the 400m hurdles and the 400m.
- The 20th edition of the World Athletics Championships will be held at the Japan National Stadium from September 13th to 21st, 2025.
- Over 2000 athletes from approximately 200 countries are expected to compete in 49 track-and-field events.
- General ticket sales begin at 18:00 JST on Friday, January 31, 2025, with 700,000 tickets available and most priced at 10,000 JPY or less.
- 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.
Darjeeling Mandarin Orange Secures GI Tag on November 24, 2025, Boosting Farmers and Heritage
Key Updates:
- The 'Darjeeling Mandarin Orange' has officially been granted the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
- The GI status was formalised by the GI Registry on November 24, 2025.
- Darjeeling Organic Farmers Producer Organisation (DOFPO) is the registered proprietor for the Darjeeling Mandarin Orange GI tag.
- Uttar Banga Krishi Vishwavidyalaya (UBKV) and Patent Information Centre (PIC) acted as facilitators for the application process.
- The Darjeeling Mandarin Orange (Citrus reticulata Blanco) is the second product from its region, after Dalley Khorsani, to earn GI recognition.
- The local name for the Darjeeling Mandarin Orange in the hills is 'suntala'.
- The fruit is grown in the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts.
- Darjeeling Member of Parliament (MP) Raju Bista, a BJP MP, expressed happiness over the GI recognition.
- The Patent Information Centre (PIC) is part of the West Bengal State Council of Science and Technology (WBSCS&T).
Similar / Past Coverage
- The Arunachal Pradesh 'dao', a traditional handcrafted blade, has received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag.
- Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein announced the development.
- Arunachal Pradesh has so far garnered 20 Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged items.
- Arunachal Pradesh has a target of reaching 50 Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged items by 2030.
- Prominent Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged products from Arunachal Pradesh include Wakro Orange, Idu Mishmi textiles, Khamti rice, Yak churpi, and Wancho wooden craft.
- UP maintained its dominance in GI-tagged goods with 79 GI products, surpassing Tamil Nadu’s 69.
- Mathura zari poshak and Meerut bugle received fresh GI tags.
- Mathura zari attire is linked to Lord Shri Krishna and involves generations of artisans.
- Thousands of women artisans contribute to Mathura’s zari embroidery.
- Meerut bugle played a role in the 1857 freedom struggle and is still used by army, police and schools.
- Meerut manufactures about 10 major traditional instruments, including bugles, trumpets and drums.
- Khazani Welfare Society applied for Mathura zari poshak GI with support from Mathura district administration and SIDBI.
- Meerut Vadya Yantra Nirmata Vikreta Vyapari Welfare Association applied for Meerut bugle GI with NABARD UP and Meerut district administration backing.
- Rajni Kant, GI Man of India, oversaw the legal process for both registrations.
- The initiative involves the first-ever air shipment of Geographical Indication (GI)-tagged Indi Lime and Puliyankudi Lime to the United Kingdom.
- It was successfully facilitated by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- The primary objective is to promote India’s unique regional agri-produce on the global stage and empower local farmers through better market access and income opportunities.
- The export comprised Indi Lime sourced from Vijayapura, Karnataka, and Puliyankudi Lime from Tenkasi, Tamil Nadu.
- Geographical Indication (GI) tagging serves as a quality and origin assurance mechanism, protecting indigenous varieties and adding market value.
- The shipment was made possible through coordinated efforts involving Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Exporters registered with APEDA, State horticulture departments, and Quality and safety compliance agencies.
- APEDA provides technical, logistical, and promotional support to exporters and farmer groups, including education on packaging, branding, and logistical efficiency.
- India's efforts to obtain exclusive market rights for basmati rice faced setbacks in New Zealand and Kenya.
- The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda) is the nodal authority for implementing the GI tag.
- Apeda sought a certification mark from the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) in February 2019.
- The New Zealand High Court dismissed Apeda’s appeal against the dismissal of its application for a certification trade mark for India’s basmati rice.
- Kenya’s Court of Appeal dismissed Apeda’s plea against a Kenya High Court ruling against its opposition to the registration of a trade mark with Basmati as a component by Kenya’s Krish Commodities.
- The New Zealand High Court upheld the decision that the basmati growing area (BGA) comprises India and Pakistan, and granting certification trade mark protection for Indian basmati would unfairly prevent rice grown in the Pakistan part of the BGA from being sold in New Zealand.
- Kenya’s Court of Appeal stated that basmati has not been registered or formally recognised in Kenya, which meant Apeda lacked the legal footing to object.
- Basmati received the GI tag in India in 2016.
India successfully conducts high-speed rocket-sled test of fighter aircraft escape system
Key Updates:
- The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted a high-speed rocket-sled test of a fighter aircraft escape system.
- The test was conducted at the Rail Track Rocket Sled (RTRS) facility of the Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory, Chandigarh.
- The test validated canopy severance, ejection sequencing, and complete aircrew recovery.
- The test was conducted in collaboration with the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
- The complex dynamic test placed 'India in an elite club of nations with advanced in-house escape system testing capability'.
- Defence minister Rajnath Singh hailed the test as a significant milestone in India’s indigenous defence capability and a step forward towards self-reliance.
Similar / Past Coverage
- 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.
- System name: Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mark 2) developed by DRDO
- Engagement specification: 10-kilowatt laser beam disables enemy UAVs at 2 km range, doubling the 1 km reach of the earlier version
- Procurement scale: Indian Army and Indian Air Force jointly placing order for 16 units
- Technology progression: DRDO has also test-fired a 30-kilowatt directed-energy weapon that can engage targets out to 5 km
- Demonstration milestone: April showcase used 30-kW laser to shoot down fixed-wing aircraft, missiles and swarm drones, placing India among US, China and Russia with proven capability
- Event: Dubai Air Show 2025 – India Pavilion inaugurated by Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth
- Participants: Indian delegation includes senior defence officers, MEA & Armed Forces reps; global aerospace firms and 100+ air forces
- Focus: Promoting defence technology and manufacturing cooperation; HAL, DRDO and Indian startups showcase advanced technology
Indian Army's Southern Command conducts successful long-range precision launch of BrahMos missile
Key Updates:
- The Southern Command of the Indian Army successfully carried out a long range precision launch of the BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Missile from a test range in the Bay of Bengal.
- The launch was executed in a coordinated mission involving a BrahMos unit of the Southern Command and elements of the Tri-Services Andaman and Nicobar Command.
- BrahMos Aerospace, which has designed and developed the missile, is a joint venture between Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia (NPOM).
- BrahMos is an amalgamation of the names of Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers.
- The first successful test of the missile was conducted on June 12, 2001, from the specially designed land based launcher at the Integrated Test Range off the Chandipur coast of Odisha.
- BrahMos saw first induction into the Indian Navy in 2005, into the Indian Army in 2007 and first successful flight from Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter in 2017.
- The achievement is a testament to India’s commitment to self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
Similar / Past Coverage
- 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.
- Exercise Brahmashira held in Rann and Creek Sector as part of Tri-Service Exercise Trishul
- Participants: Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, BSF, civil administration
- Key features: Joint Task Forces, Joint Control Centre, multi-domain operations, Military-Civil Fusion
- Exercise TRISHUL validates full-spectrum land-sea-air integration under mantra JAI - Jointness, Atmanirbharta, Innovation
- Southern Command formations also conduct Exercises MaruJwala and Akhand Prahaar in Thar Desert for combined arms and joint fire integration
- Mission Sudarshan Chakra announced by PM Modi as national programme to develop multi-layered integrated air and missile defense shield covering strategic and civilian sites by 2035
- Programme to integrate cyber defense and counter-strike weapons; existing systems include Indo-Israeli Barak-8, Russian S-400, DRDO’s Project Kusha long-range interceptor and IADWS short-range laser/missile system
- Analysts expect emphasis on indigenous solutions; DRDO developing 150–400 km range Kusha interceptors and new Ballistic Missile Defence system alongside Prithvi/Ashiwin BMD and ASAT weapons
- 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
International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2025 on December 3
Key Updates:
- International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) is celebrated annually on December 3.
- In 2025, International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) falls on a Wednesday.
- The theme for International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD) 2025 is 'Fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress'.
- The global observance was first celebrated annually in 1992, following its proclamation by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 47/3.
- In 2006, the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) was adopted.
- António Guterres stated, 'When inclusion is real, everyone benefits. Let’s commit to working side-by-side with people with disabilities to build more resilient societies.'
- According to the United Nations (UN), about 1.3 billion people experience significant disability, representing 16 per cent of the world’s population.
- The significance behind the global observance is to raise awareness of the experiences of people with disabilities in all facets of political, social, economic, and cultural life.
Similar / Past Coverage
- 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.
- World Physiotherapy Day is marked on 8 September every year to celebrate the amazing job physiotherapists do to keep people mobile, independent, and well.
- The day was first coined in 1996 by World Physiotherapy, and since then, it’s become a truly global event.
- World Physiotherapy Day represents more than 600,000 physiotherapists through 129 member organizations.
- In 2025, physiotherapy highlights healthy aging, preventing frailty, and falls.
- World Physiotherapy Day 2025 Theme: Healthy Ageing & Fall Prevention.
- This approach brings clear policy relevance - aligning World Physiotherapy Day with a global health structure such as WHO's Decade of Healthy Aging (2020-2030)and opens the doors for scalable advocacy.
- Purple Fest 2025 was organized by the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), New Delhi in collaboration with Amity University, Uttar Pradesh (Noida) on 10-11th September 2025.
- Ms. Gurdeep Kaur Vasu was presented a Certificate of Appreciation as the first deafblind Indian to secure a government job under the multiple disabled category in the Commercial Tax Department, Madhya Pradesh.
- The festival carried the message that 'Disability is not a weakness, Assistive Devices are not charity and Respect is not a favor—it is a Right.'
- International Stuttering Awareness Day is celebrated every year on October 22.
- International Stuttering Awareness Day 2025 shines a light on the power of speech, acceptance, and resilience.
- The day inspires others to embrace their voice and helps break the stigma around speech disorders.
- Awareness campaigns are run to understand and accept people living in society with stuttering.
Mukhyamantri Bharat Darshan Yojana: Secondary School Students to Explore India
Key Updates:
- The 'Mukhyamantri Bharat Darshan Yojana' is an initiative for students studying in state government-run secondary schools in Bihar.
- The scheme aims to take these students on tours of India's important sites and research institutions.
- State’s education minister Sunil Kumar directed officials to implement this scheme, which is expected to come into effect in the next few months.
- Potential destinations include historical monuments like the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Qutub Minar, Charminar of Hyderabad, and Agra Fort.
- This new scheme for secondary school students expands upon the existing ‘Mukhyamantri Bihar Darshan Yojana’ for primary and middle school children touring within the state.
Similar / Past Coverage
- Bihar government announces ₹ 1,000 per month for unemployed graduates
- The financial assistance of ₹ 1,000 per month will be extended to unemployed graduates for two a maximum period of two years.
- The scheme is currently operating under the Bihar government's 7 Nischay program.
- Under the Self-Help Allowance Scheme, which was previously offered to Intermediate-graded youth, will now also extend to unemployed graduates in Arts, Science, and Commerce.
- The scheme will now provide financial assistance of ₹ 1000 to those who are:
- Graduate youths who are in the 20-25 age group
- Not studying and are seeking employment opportunities
- Not self-employed
- Not employed in any government, private, or non-government sector
- The eligible youths can apply for “Mukhyamantri Nischay Swayam Sahayata Bhatta Yojana” through the website- http://7nishchay-yuvaupmission.bihar.gov.in/ and register themselves through their mobile number and e-mail.
- The National Makhana board, announced in the Union budget 2025, will be launched in Bihar.
- The board will promote production and new technology development, strengthen post-harvest management, promote value addition and processing and facilitate market, export and brand development in Makhana.
- It aims to benefit the Makhana farmers of Bihar and the country.
- The establishment of the Makhana board in Bihar will give a major boost to the Makhana production in the state and the country and strengthen the presence of Bihar on the global map in this sector.
- Under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), ₹ 500 crore will be distributed to women’s self-help groups.
- Namo Lakshmi Yojana: launched March 2024; girl students in classes 9-12 receive ₹50,000 over four years; over 10.49 lakh girls assisted, disbursements exceed ₹1,000 crore; managed via 'Namo Lakshmi Portal'.
- Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana: launched March 2024; science-stream students in classes 11-12 who scored ≥50% in class 10 and study in GSHSEB/CBSE-recognised schools receive ₹25,000 over two years; over 1.5 lakh students benefited, disbursements exceed ₹161 crore; managed via 'Namo Saraswati Portal'.
- Both schemes aim to support Gujarat’s Viksit Bharat @2047 vision by preparing a skilled workforce for sectors like semiconductors, green energy, and digital sciences.
- 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.