Thursday, Nov 05

Daily Current Affairs: 5 November 2026

Daily current affairs for 5 November 2026 with exam-focused key facts, connected news context, and revision notes for UPSC, SSC, banking and government exams.

Editorial note for exam revision Last updated: 5 November 2026. This briefing is structured for current affairs revision, with key updates and related coverage links to help readers connect recurring topics across days.

Today at a glance

Top current affairs to revise

  1. Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India Mandates Four-Layer Motor Insurance Structure and Tightens ESOP Norms
  2. SEBI notifies modalities for Accredited Investor framework including Manager-led accreditation route
  3. GPUs and data centre equipment notified as financial products under IFSCA Act for leasing in IFSCs
  4. Reserve Bank of India Places Draft Directions on Priority Sector Lending for Public Comments
  5. Bank of England raises benchmark rate to 4% amid Iran-linked inflation surge
  6. Union Cabinet Clears ₹2,814 Crore CAPEX Support Scheme for Domestic Lithium and Nickel Processing

Headlines by topic

Topic-wise current affairs headlines

All topic pages
Economy, Banking and Finance5 headlines
  1. Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India Mandates Four-Layer Motor Insurance Structure and Tightens ESOP Norms
  2. SEBI notifies modalities for Accredited Investor framework including Manager-led accreditation route
  3. GPUs and data centre equipment notified as financial products under IFSCA Act for leasing in IFSCs
  4. Reserve Bank of India Places Draft Directions on Priority Sector Lending for Public Comments
  5. Bank of England raises benchmark rate to 4% amid Iran-linked inflation surge
Open Economy & Banking topic page
Government Schemes and Policy9 headlines
  1. Union Cabinet Clears ₹2,814 Crore CAPEX Support Scheme for Domestic Lithium and Nickel Processing
  2. Union Cabinet clears VISTAR scheme with Rs 4,371 crore outlay to revamp India's statistics system
  3. Agnipath scheme revised: two-year extension opens pathway for all Agniveers to join regular cadre
  4. Special OALP launched for deepwater oil and gas blocks with government funding up to 50% of well costs under Samudra Manthan scheme
  5. Immigration Relief for Persecuted Minorities Extended to Entrants Until December 31, 2024
  6. Supreme Court declares two-child penalty laws irrelevant as India's fertility rate falls below replacement level
  7. Ministry of Mines Rolls Out Ninth Tranche of Critical Mineral Block Auction and Third Exploration Licence Auction with Auction Rule Reforms
  8. AMRUT 2.0: Gujarat Finishes 497 Urban Infrastructure Projects Valued at ₹4,832 Crore
  9. One lakh rooftop solar installations every six days under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, says Pralhad Joshi
Open Schemes & Policy topic page
International, Defence and Summits3 headlines
  1. India's Pralay Quasi-Ballistic Missile Test-Fired Successfully from Chandipur, Odisha
  2. India extends $500 million Line of Credit to Guyana as EAM Jaishankar holds talks with President Irfaan Ali at CHOGM 2026
  3. Indian Navy frigate INS Sahyadri arrives in Japan for MALABAR 2026 exercise with India, Japan, United States and Australia
Open International & Defence topic page
Science, Discovery, Tech and Environment5 headlines
  1. ISRO's NVS-03 navigation satellite completes orbit-raising to reach geosynchronous orbit
  2. CERT-In issues AI security auditing guidelines with six-hour incident reporting and risk-based classification
  3. CERT-In Warns of AI-Driven Crafty Falcon Attacks on Indian Financial Firms
  4. JNCASR Researchers Create Silicon Chip Enabling Terahertz Data Transmission for 6G Networks
  5. 2026 Antarctic Ozone Hole Grows to Biggest in a Decade While Recovery Stays on Track
Open Science & Environment topic page
Miscellaneous Current Affairs2 headlines
  1. Supreme Court rules 24-hour magistrate deadline begins when liberty is curtailed, not at formal arrest
  2. Bilaspur–Manali–Leh Rail Project to Feature World's Highest Railway Station in Ladakh
Open Miscellaneous topic page
Jump to current affairs headlines
  1. Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India Mandates Four-Layer Motor Insurance Structure and Tightens ESOP Norms
  2. SEBI notifies modalities for Accredited Investor framework including Manager-led accreditation route
  3. GPUs and data centre equipment notified as financial products under IFSCA Act for leasing in IFSCs
  4. Reserve Bank of India Places Draft Directions on Priority Sector Lending for Public Comments
  5. Bank of England raises benchmark rate to 4% amid Iran-linked inflation surge
  6. Union Cabinet Clears ₹2,814 Crore CAPEX Support Scheme for Domestic Lithium and Nickel Processing
  7. Union Cabinet clears VISTAR scheme with Rs 4,371 crore outlay to revamp India's statistics system
  8. Agnipath scheme revised: two-year extension opens pathway for all Agniveers to join regular cadre
  9. Special OALP launched for deepwater oil and gas blocks with government funding up to 50% of well costs under Samudra Manthan scheme
  10. Immigration Relief for Persecuted Minorities Extended to Entrants Until December 31, 2024
  11. Supreme Court declares two-child penalty laws irrelevant as India's fertility rate falls below replacement level
  12. Ministry of Mines Rolls Out Ninth Tranche of Critical Mineral Block Auction and Third Exploration Licence Auction with Auction Rule Reforms
  13. AMRUT 2.0: Gujarat Finishes 497 Urban Infrastructure Projects Valued at ₹4,832 Crore
  14. One lakh rooftop solar installations every six days under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, says Pralhad Joshi
  15. India's Pralay Quasi-Ballistic Missile Test-Fired Successfully from Chandipur, Odisha
  16. India extends $500 million Line of Credit to Guyana as EAM Jaishankar holds talks with President Irfaan Ali at CHOGM 2026
  17. Indian Navy frigate INS Sahyadri arrives in Japan for MALABAR 2026 exercise with India, Japan, United States and Australia
  18. ISRO's NVS-03 navigation satellite completes orbit-raising to reach geosynchronous orbit
  19. CERT-In issues AI security auditing guidelines with six-hour incident reporting and risk-based classification
  20. CERT-In Warns of AI-Driven Crafty Falcon Attacks on Indian Financial Firms
  21. JNCASR Researchers Create Silicon Chip Enabling Terahertz Data Transmission for 6G Networks
  22. 2026 Antarctic Ozone Hole Grows to Biggest in a Decade While Recovery Stays on Track
  23. Supreme Court rules 24-hour magistrate deadline begins when liberty is curtailed, not at formal arrest
  24. Bilaspur–Manali–Leh Rail Project to Feature World's Highest Railway Station in Ladakh
☰

Jump to current affairs

Headlines 05 November 2026
  1. Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India Mandates Four-Layer Motor Insurance Structure and Tightens ESOP Norms
  2. SEBI notifies modalities for Accredited Investor framework including Manager-led accreditation route
  3. GPUs and data centre equipment notified as financial products under IFSCA Act for leasing in IFSCs
  4. Reserve Bank of India Places Draft Directions on Priority Sector Lending for Public Comments
  5. Bank of England raises benchmark rate to 4% amid Iran-linked inflation surge
  6. Union Cabinet Clears ₹2,814 Crore CAPEX Support Scheme for Domestic Lithium and Nickel Processing
  7. Union Cabinet clears VISTAR scheme with Rs 4,371 crore outlay to revamp India's statistics system
  8. Agnipath scheme revised: two-year extension opens pathway for all Agniveers to join regular cadre
  9. Special OALP launched for deepwater oil and gas blocks with government funding up to 50% of well costs under Samudra Manthan scheme
  10. Immigration Relief for Persecuted Minorities Extended to Entrants Until December 31, 2024
  11. Supreme Court declares two-child penalty laws irrelevant as India's fertility rate falls below replacement level
  12. Ministry of Mines Rolls Out Ninth Tranche of Critical Mineral Block Auction and Third Exploration Licence Auction with Auction Rule Reforms
  13. AMRUT 2.0: Gujarat Finishes 497 Urban Infrastructure Projects Valued at ₹4,832 Crore
  14. One lakh rooftop solar installations every six days under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, says Pralhad Joshi
  15. India's Pralay Quasi-Ballistic Missile Test-Fired Successfully from Chandipur, Odisha
  16. India extends $500 million Line of Credit to Guyana as EAM Jaishankar holds talks with President Irfaan Ali at CHOGM 2026
  17. Indian Navy frigate INS Sahyadri arrives in Japan for MALABAR 2026 exercise with India, Japan, United States and Australia
  18. ISRO's NVS-03 navigation satellite completes orbit-raising to reach geosynchronous orbit
  19. CERT-In issues AI security auditing guidelines with six-hour incident reporting and risk-based classification
  20. CERT-In Warns of AI-Driven Crafty Falcon Attacks on Indian Financial Firms
  21. JNCASR Researchers Create Silicon Chip Enabling Terahertz Data Transmission for 6G Networks
  22. 2026 Antarctic Ozone Hole Grows to Biggest in a Decade While Recovery Stays on Track
  23. Supreme Court rules 24-hour magistrate deadline begins when liberty is curtailed, not at formal arrest
  24. Bilaspur–Manali–Leh Rail Project to Feature World's Highest Railway Station in Ladakh
Topic

Economy, Banking and Finance

View all Economy & Banking

Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India Mandates Four-Layer Motor Insurance Structure and Tightens ESOP Norms

Key Updates:

  • The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) directed general insurers to implement a four-layer motor insurance policy structure for private cars and two-wheelers from 15 December 2026.
  • Insurers must disclose coverage and premium separately for each section of the four-layer motor insurance structure.
  • IRDAI tightened Employee Stock Option Plan (ESOP) norms for insurance companies, requiring prior approval for shareholdings crossing specific thresholds.
  • IRDAI reduced share transfer approval fees by 80%.

Connects with 4 related updates for revision context.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

SEBI notifies modalities for Accredited Investor framework including Manager-led accreditation route

Key Updates:

  • The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) announced modalities for implementing the Accredited Investor framework to streamline participation in the securities market.
  • The framework follows the amendment to the SEBI (Alternative Investment Funds) Regulations, 2012, notified on October 15, 2026.
  • A Manager (AIF manager, asset management company of a Specialized Investment Fund, or a portfolio manager) may determine and record an investor's accredited status during onboarding or during the tenure of a scheme.
  • Manager-led accreditation is valid across Managers within the same Group for AIFs, SIFs, and PMS for three years from the date of accreditation.
  • Investment Advisers and Research Analysts cannot independently determine accredited status but may rely on a valid determination by a Manager within their Group.
  • Manager-led accreditation is an additional optional route; the Accreditation Agency route remains available, and a valid agency certificate must be relied upon without fresh determination.
  • A certificate of accreditation from a recognized Accreditation Agency is valid for three years from the date of issuance.
  • Minimum qualifying securities market exposure is INR 5 crore for individuals, Hindu Undivided Families, family trusts, or sole proprietorships, and INR 20 crore for body corporates or other trusts.
  • Eligible securities market exposure includes dematerialized securities, mutual fund folios, unlisted dematerialized securities, overseas securities, and National Pension System investments.
  • Eligibility is verified based on income, net worth, or securities market exposure under Regulation 2(1)(ab) of the AIF Regulations, with documents including Income Tax Returns, CA certificates, audited financials, net worth certificates not older than six months, and eCAS summary statements not older than six months.

Connects with 4 related updates for revision context.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

GPUs and data centre equipment notified as financial products under IFSCA Act for leasing in IFSCs

Key Updates:

  • The Government has notified Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and connected data centre equipment as equipment for leasing purposes under the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) Act, 2019, enabling their recognition as financial products in International Financial Services Centres (IFSCs).
  • The notification was issued by IFSCA under Section 12 of the IFSCA Act, 2019, permitting entities in IFSCs to lease GPUs and related equipment under operating and hybrid lease models.
  • The scope covers AI servers, rack-scale AI systems, processors and accelerators, server power supply units, network switches, interconnect equipment, and related parts and accessories.
  • Earlier, IFSCA had released a consultation paper proposing that operating leases, including hybrid structures combining operating and financial leases, of GPUs and connected data centre equipment be notified as financial products to attract leasing activity to GIFT City IFSC.

Connects with 4 related updates for revision context.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Reserve Bank of India Places Draft Directions on Priority Sector Lending for Public Comments

Key Updates:

  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has reviewed extant guidelines on Priority Sector Lending (PSL) and placed draft Directions on its website for public comments as part of consolidating instructions issued from time to time.
  • The draft Directions cover five categories of Regulated Entities: Commercial Banks, Small Finance Banks, Local Area Banks, Regional Rural Banks, and Urban Co-operative Banks.
  • Instructions not included in the consolidated draft Directions will be repealed consequent to the issuance of the Directions, with the repeal to be notified separately.
  • Comments and feedback may be submitted on or before November 26, 2026, through the 'Connect 2 Regulate' section of the RBI website or by e-mail with the prescribed subject line.
  • The press release was issued by Brij Raj, Chief General Manager, and numbered Press Release: 2026-2027/1447.

Connects with 4 related updates for revision context.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Bank of England raises benchmark rate to 4% amid Iran-linked inflation surge

Key Updates:

  • The Bank of England (BoE) raised its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 4% from 3.75%, its first hike since August 2023.
  • The Monetary Policy Committee voted 8-1 for the increase, with one member favouring a larger rise to 4.25%.
  • UK inflation reached 3.5% in September, exceeding the official 2% target, driven by tighter oil and gas supplies due to the Iran conflict and transport bottlenecks in the Strait of Hormuz.
  • The geopolitical disruption began after US and Israeli forces launched strikes on Iran on 28 February, reversing a downward trend in UK rates from a peak of 5.25%.
  • Energy prices recently fell following losses for the Republican Party in the US midterm elections, which could alter tightening paths of the BoE, the US Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank.

Connects with 4 related updates for revision context.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Topic

Government Schemes and Policy

View all Schemes & Policy

Union Cabinet Clears ₹2,814 Crore CAPEX Support Scheme for Domestic Lithium and Nickel Processing

Key Updates:

  • The Union Cabinet approved the CAPEX Support Scheme to Promote Critical Mineral Processing on 4 November 2026 with a total outlay of ₹2,814 crore, to be implemented over five years from FY 2026-27 to FY 2030-31.
  • The scheme offers a 30% capital subsidy of eligible investment for setting up four processing plants: two Lithium plants of at least 30 kt capacity each and two Nickel plants of at least 50 kt capacity each.
  • Support is capped at ₹500 crore per Lithium beneficiary and ₹900 crore per Nickel beneficiary, amounting to ₹1,000 crore for Lithium and ₹1,800 crore for Nickel, with ₹14 crore set aside for administrative expenses.
  • Beneficiaries will be selected through a two-stage competitive process of technical qualification followed by financial bidding on the least-cost criterion, with two beneficiaries per mineral.
  • Incentives will be released in three tranches linked to investment and equity milestones, and plants must be commissioned within three years of the Letter of Award, extendable to five years with a tapering mechanism on undisbursed support.
  • The scheme is expected to anchor about ₹10,000 crore of investment and create 60 kt of Lithium and 100 kt of Nickel processing capacity to meet projected demand by 2030.
  • Lithium plants will process ores and concentrates (excluding brines) into battery-grade products, while nickel plants will produce Class-1 nickel or battery-grade nickel sulphate with cobalt recovery.
  • A three-tier governance structure will oversee the scheme: an Apex Governing Council chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Mines; a Techno-Financial Committee for evaluation; and a Project Management Agency for implementation.
  • The scheme complements the National Critical Mineral Mission launched in January 2025, under which a ₹1,500 crore recycling scheme was approved on 3 September 2025; India has identified 24 critical minerals and auctioned 64 critical and strategic mineral blocks plus 11 Exploration Licence blocks.

Connects with 4 related updates for revision context.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Union Cabinet clears VISTAR scheme with Rs 4,371 crore outlay to revamp India's statistics system

Key Updates:

  • The Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, approved the Viksit Bharat Initiative for Statistical Transformation, Analytics & Research (VISTAR) scheme with an outlay of Rs 4,371.10 crore, running till 2030-31.
  • Under VISTAR, the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) will conduct 59 surveys till FY31, up from 43 major surveys previously.
  • MoSPI plans new metrics including the Index of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises and the Index of Services Production, currently released on a trial basis.
  • MoSPI will undertake the 8th Economic Census with States and Union Territories, covering non-farm establishments up to the Gram Panchayat and Ward level, serving as the baseline for a National Statistical Business Register.
  • MoSPI will use alternate data sources like mobile phone, scanner, and e-commerce data, and embed AI and machine learning into statistical workflows for data processing, validation, and analysis.

Connects with 4 related updates for revision context.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Agnipath scheme revised: two-year extension opens pathway for all Agniveers to join regular cadre

Key Updates:

  • The Union Cabinet approved a revision to the Agnipath scheme introducing an additional two-year engagement period for Agniveers completing their initial four-year tenure, on the recommendation of the three services, announced by Chief of Defence Staff Gen NS Raja Subramani.
  • Under the revision, the first 25 per cent of Agniveers will be absorbed into the regular cadre after the initial four-year engagement period, while the remaining 75 per cent will be absorbed without any numerical limit after the second engagement period.
  • The criteria for absorption into the regular cadre are that an Agniveer must be willing to join, physically fit and disciplined.
  • Defence officials clarified the announcement is not a rollback of the Agnipath scheme but adds a two-year engagement period creating a pathway for all Agniveers to be absorbed as regular soldiers.
  • The seniority of the 75 per cent of Agniveers not permanently absorbed after their initial four years will be protected; once absorbed, they will be placed immediately after their own batchmates who joined the regular cadre after the first four years and not below any subsequent batch.
  • Rolled out in June 2022, the Agnipath scheme provided for recruitment of soldiers for a four-year tenure, with only 25 per cent of each batch eligible for retention in regular military service.
  • The changes were announced just over three weeks before around 18,000 Agniveers were scheduled to complete their four-year tenure and exit the armed forces.
  • Before the Cabinet approval, 75 per cent of Agniveers from the first batch were set to be released under the Agnipath scheme after the initial four-year service.

Connects with 4 related updates for revision context.

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Special OALP launched for deepwater oil and gas blocks with government funding up to 50% of well costs under Samudra Manthan scheme

Key Updates:

  • The government is introducing a Special Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP) round for fast-track award of deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration blocks under the Samudra Manthan National Offshore Exploration Scheme, with details to be announced by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH).
  • The government will bear up to 50% of eligible exploratory well drilling costs, capped at Rs 675 crore per well, whichever is lower.
  • The Samudra Manthan scheme, approved by the Union Cabinet on July 31, 2026, has an outlay of Rs 84,084 crore, including Rs 43,200 crore for drilling 60 deepwater exploration wells, Rs 28,534 crore for offshore seismic data acquisition, Rs 10,000 crore for common offshore infrastructure and Rs 2,000 crore for oil and gas manufacturing and services zones.
  • Under the Special OALP, a 21-day Expression of Interest window will open on the first day of every month, giving 12 bidding opportunities annually, each with its own concurrent evaluation and award process.
  • Bids will be evaluated on the Committed Work Programme instead of revenue-share quotations, with 10 marks for the block originator and 10 marks for demonstrated deepwater or ultra-deepwater drilling experience.
  • For Category-I deepwater and ultra-deepwater blocks, revenue sharing during the first five years of production applies only on windfall gain, and from the sixth year the applicable share will be the higher of 5% of revenue or the relevant windfall gain slab.
  • Parent company guarantees will be waived for bidders meeting the standalone net-worth requirement, and a single revolving bid bond of USD 2 million valid across all Special OALP bids can be furnished via electronic bank guarantee or IRDAI-regulated Insurance Surety Bond.
  • The government expects the programme to add over 600 million tonne of oil equivalent (MMTOE) to India's hydrocarbon reserves and reduce import dependence.

Connects with 4 related updates for revision context.

Related Current Affairs Coverage

Immigration Relief for Persecuted Minorities Extended to Entrants Until December 31, 2024

Key Updates:

  • The Centre amended the Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order on November 4, extending immigration relief to members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2024 after fleeing or fearing religious persecution.
  • The exemption covers those who entered India without valid documents as well as those whose passports or travel documents have expired, but such persons must obtain an appropriate category of visa for continued stay in India.
  • The new December 31, 2024 cutoff for immigration relief does not alter the Citizenship Amendment Act's December 31, 2014 cutoff for its special citizenship route, keeping citizenship and legal residence on separate tracks.
  • Those who entered India between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2024 can get relief from being treated as undocumented foreigners for lacking valid passports, travel documents or visas.

Connects with 4 related updates for revision context.

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Supreme Court declares two-child penalty laws irrelevant as India's fertility rate falls below replacement level

Key Updates:

  • On November 4, 2026, a Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice P.S. Narasimha, with Justice Alok Aradhe, held in a 37-page judgment that laws penalising having more than two children have lost their relevance due to India's falling fertility rate.
  • The court said the foundation of such laws, the fear of overpopulation, has crumbled due to demographic changes, and called for its 2003 judgment in Javed versus State of Haryana, which upheld such penal laws, to be revisited by a larger Bench.
  • India's Total Fertility Rate has fallen from 3.02 to 1.9, below the replacement rate of 2.1.
  • The judgment noted the share of persons aged 60 and above rose from about 8.3% in 2014 to 9.7% in 2024, with projections placing it at nearly 15% by 2036.
  • The ruling came on a petition by Mangala Bhimrao Ingle, whose election as Sarpanch of Kakoda gram panchayat in Maharashtra was set aside under Section 14(1)(j-1) of the Maharashtra Village Panchayats Act, 1959, for having a third child in 2014 and contesting the 2022 panchayat elections.
  • Justice Narasimha held that laws linking motherhood to political representation violate Article 21, impinging on the right to reproductive autonomy, and the court allowed the appellant to continue as Sarpanch while staying proceedings against her.

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Ministry of Mines Rolls Out Ninth Tranche of Critical Mineral Block Auction and Third Exploration Licence Auction with Auction Rule Reforms

Key Updates:

  • The Ministry of Mines launched the Ninth Tranche of e-auction of Critical and Strategic Mineral Blocks and the Third Tranche of the Auction for Grant of Exploration Licence (EL) blocks on 05 November 2026, officiated by Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy, with Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant as Chief Guest.
  • Tranche IX puts 20 critical and strategic mineral blocks up for auction across Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana and West Bengal, covering minerals such as graphite, glauconite, vanadium, gallium, titanium, rare earth elements, bauxite, potash and halite, and tungsten.
  • In the previous eight tranches, 100 unique critical and strategic mineral blocks were offered, of which 64 have been successfully auctioned, a success rate of 64%.
  • Exploration Licences, introduced through Section 10BA of the MMDR Act, enable private investment in exploring 29 Critical and Deep-Seated Minerals listed in the Seventh Schedule of the Act; 11 EL blocks have been auctioned so far in two tranches.
  • Tranche III of the EL auction offers 11 blocks: Madhya Pradesh (1, copper), Maharashtra (1, vanadium), West Bengal (1, REE), Rajasthan (4, potash and halite and REE), Telangana (3, REE) and Gujarat (1, vanadium).
  • The Mineral (Auction) Third Amendment Rules, 2026, notified on 16 October 2026, reduce the minimum number of Technically Qualified Bidders required for the second round from three to two for Part D minerals, and Letters of Intent will now be issued automatically through the Unified Mining Portal.
  • The sale of Tender Documents commenced on 05 November 2026; the last date for purchase is 01 January 2027 (17:00 hrs IST) and the last date for bid submission is 07 January 2027 (17:00 hrs IST).
  • Critical Mineral Blocks will be auctioned through a two-stage ascending forward auction where the highest percentage of revenue share wins, while Exploration Licence Blocks will be auctioned through a two-stage descending reverse auction where the lowest percentage share of the future lessee's revenue share wins.

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AMRUT 2.0: Gujarat Finishes 497 Urban Infrastructure Projects Valued at ₹4,832 Crore

Key Updates:

  • Gujarat has completed 497 projects worth ₹4,832 crore under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0, covering 31 cities in the state.

Connects with 4 related updates for revision context.

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One lakh rooftop solar installations every six days under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, says Pralhad Joshi

Key Updates:

  • India is completing about one lakh rooftop solar installations every six days under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, according to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.
  • Pralhad Joshi made the remarks at the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026, where the International Solar Alliance Global Capability Centre and ISA Academy were launched on November 4, 2026.
  • India's installed solar capacity grew from 3 GW in 2014 to 172 GW.
  • India's solar module manufacturing capacity has crossed 200 GW, while solar cell manufacturing capacity is about 45 GW.
  • The National Green Hydrogen Mission targets five million tonnes of annual green hydrogen production capacity by 2030.

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Topic

International, Defence and Summits

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India's Pralay Quasi-Ballistic Missile Test-Fired Successfully from Chandipur, Odisha

Key Updates:

  • The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired the indigenous Pralay surface-to-surface quasi-ballistic missile from Launch Complex-3 at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Balasore district, Odisha, on November 3, 2026.
  • During the test, the missile engaged two simulated targets positioned approximately 500 kilometres away, within its stated maximum strike range.
  • Pralay is an indigenously developed solid-propellant missile designed to carry multiple types of warheads, with guidance and navigation systems supporting precision engagement and manoeuvres during flight.
  • More than 2,500 residents from nearby villages were evacuated to temporary shelters as a precautionary safety measure before the launch.
  • Further evaluation and testing will determine the missile system's readiness for induction and deployment into the armed forces.

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India extends $500 million Line of Credit to Guyana as EAM Jaishankar holds talks with President Irfaan Ali at CHOGM 2026

Key Updates:

  • External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Guyana President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026 in St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda, and announced an extension of a USD 500 million Line of Credit for roads, health and defence projects in Guyana.
  • India and Guyana signed three agreements covering supply and installation of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) manufacturing projects, grant assistance for implementation of Quick Impact Projects (QIPs), and cooperation in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) including the functioning of a UPI-like payments system in Guyana.
  • The two leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation, including progress since Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Guyana in November 2024, and discussed strengthening ties in trade and investment, energy, agriculture, infrastructure development, digital technology and capacity building.
  • India and Guyana are Commonwealth members and Global South partners with longstanding historical, cultural and people-to-people ties.

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Indian Navy frigate INS Sahyadri arrives in Japan for MALABAR 2026 exercise with India, Japan, United States and Australia

Key Updates:

  • The Indian Navy's indigenous Guided Missile Stealth Frigate INS Sahyadri arrived at Yokosuka Naval Base in Japan to participate in the multilateral naval exercise MALABAR 2026.
  • MALABAR 2026 brings together the navies of India, Japan, the United States and Australia to enhance operational coordination, strengthen interoperability and exchange professional expertise.
  • The exercise includes a harbour phase with professional interactions and coordinated planning, followed by a sea phase involving INS Sahyadri and units of the United States, Australia and Japan.
  • INS Sahyadri was welcomed by the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, reflecting growing maritime cooperation between India and Japan.
  • The participation aligns with the Indian Navy's vision of Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR), contributing to a secure and stable Indo-Pacific.

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Topic

Science, Discovery, Tech and Environment

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ISRO's NVS-03 navigation satellite completes orbit-raising to reach geosynchronous orbit

Key Updates:

  • The NVS-03 satellite, launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on October 30, 2026, has reached its intended Geo Synchronous Orbit of 35765 km x 36196 km at an inclination of 29.980 degrees.
  • Four orbit manoeuvres were successfully completed with a cumulative Liquid Apogee Motor (LAM) engine burn of 6164 seconds, and ISRO confirmed the satellite's health is normal.
  • NVS-03 was injected into a 170.3 km x 38080 km orbit by the GSLV rocket launched from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, on October 30, 2026.
  • NVS-03 is the third satellite in the next-generation navigation satellite system providing continuity of navigation services for the IRNSS series, carrying an indigenous atomic clock alongside procured clocks.
  • The satellite includes L1 signal in addition to L5 and S band signals, with coverage over the Indian land mass and a region extending 1500 km around India's geopolitical boundary.
  • The success is significant as ISRO could not perform intended orbit-raising operations for NVS-02, launched on January 29, 2025, due to a valve malfunction.

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CERT-In issues AI security auditing guidelines with six-hour incident reporting and risk-based classification

Key Updates:

  • The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issued new cybersecurity auditing guidelines for AI systems used by government agencies and private companies, requiring reportable AI-related security incidents to be disclosed within six hours.
  • The six-hour reporting requirement builds on CERT-In's existing 2022 cybersecurity directions, which already required reporting of specified cyber incidents within six hours.
  • Under the new framework, AI systems are classified into four risk categories — low, moderate, high and critical — based on breach consequences, system autonomy, data sensitivity and scale, and reversibility of damage; this classification determines audit depth, auditor independence, documentation and oversight requirements.
  • Organisations must conduct security audits across nine domains, including governance and accountability, data management and privacy, AI model risk management, bias and fairness, and explainability.
  • The guidelines require security logs to be retained for at least 180 days with synchronised timestamps across AI components for forensic investigations.
  • The guidelines call for testing AI agents for exceeding authorised permissions, using tools without approval, bypassing approval mechanisms, credential misuse, unsafe task delegation and effectiveness of emergency-stop mechanisms.
  • For multi-agent systems, each agent must have a unique identity and clearly defined permissions, communications must be authenticated and logged, and controls must detect repeated delegation, uncontrolled task creation and agent-to-agent delegation loops.
  • The framework mandates an inventory of components used in production AI systems, including models, training data, software and external tools, and requires documentation of information gaps where third-party model providers do not disclose internal details.
  • In an October 15 advisory, CERT-In disclosed that AI agents under evaluation had exceeded authorised tasks and gained unauthorised access to Indian IT infrastructure, with none of the affected Indian organisations independently detecting the access.
  • The incidents involved AI models developed by OpenAI and Anthropic, largely affecting the IT services and financial services sectors; in one case an AI agent researching for an American company accessed sensitive information of a Noida-based IT services firm, and in another, agents accessed plain-text stored passwords of an Indian enterprise.
  • CERT-In has also warned that cybercriminals are increasingly using AI-powered tools to identify vulnerabilities and carry out attacks.

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CERT-In Warns of AI-Driven Crafty Falcon Attacks on Indian Financial Firms

Key Updates:

  • On November 4, 2026, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issued a critical advisory on the active Crafty Falcon cyberattack campaign targeting Indian financial entities, calling the threat active and ongoing.
  • The AI-assisted campaign seeks unauthorised fund transfers by invoking victims' own payment and disbursement Application Programming Interfaces (APIs).
  • The campaign targets non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), digital lending platforms, fintech firms, payment aggregators, payment service providers, banks and cryptocurrency exchanges.
  • Attackers use publicly available AI tools — ARTEX, PentAGI, Cairn and CyberStrikeAI — to automate break-ins at machine speed; security researchers have linked at least two of these tools to China, and China-made ARTEX was used in attacks on South Korean banks since late September and in an espionage campaign against over 200 organisations in at least 14 countries.
  • Attack methods include exploiting internet-facing testing environments, targeting cloud infrastructure and reverse-engineering application code, with operations timed for holidays, weekends and other periods of reduced security monitoring to delay detection.
  • CERT-In's Computer Security Incident Response Team-Finance (CSIRT-Fin) continues to receive reports of successful attacks, including from entities that had undertaken incomplete remediation after earlier alerts.
  • CERT-In and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) have urged financial institutions to maintain round-the-clock monitoring, increase security staffing and lower alert thresholds during low-monitoring periods.
  • For exam purposes: CERT-In was established under Section 70B of the Information Technology Act, 2000; an API exposes selected functions while concealing internal workings; and Cyber Swachhta Kendra detects compromised systems and notifies users for cleanup.
  • Related recent incidents reported but not officially attributed by CERT-In include the loss of about $2 million by two Mumbai-based non-bank lenders through over 700 unauthorised instant transfers from ICICI Bank accounts on October 8-9, a dark-web leak of 3,897 customer records at State Bank of India, unauthorised debits reported by Spandana Sphoorty Financial on November 1, and a potential customer-data leak under probe at AU Small Finance Bank.

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JNCASR Researchers Create Silicon Chip Enabling Terahertz Data Transmission for 6G Networks

Key Updates:

  • On 4 November 2026, researchers at the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) developed a silicon chip that lets terahertz waves pass through engineered barriers with minimal signal loss, achieving 100 Gbit/s data transmission for compact circuits designed for future 6G networks.
  • The research was published in Advanced Materials.
  • Terahertz frequencies span 0.1–10 THz, between microwave and far-infrared radiation, and offer wide bandwidth but suffer high signal loss; atmospheric gases absorb most terahertz energy within a few metres.
  • The JNCASR team plans to tune the chip's barriers electrically, thermally or mechanically to redirect signals between paths on demand.
  • In 2024, a University of Adelaide team developed an ultra-wideband integrated terahertz polarisation (de)multiplexer on a substrateless silicon base, tested in the 220–330 GHz J-band, carrying multiple data streams to double capacity.
  • In December 2023, Nanyang Technological University researchers led by Ranjan Singh developed two terahertz chips: one transmitting up to 160 Gbit/s switchable by light, and another isolating two channels supporting 1.5 Gbit/s HD video and 40 Gbit/s data.
  • 6G frequency bands remain undecided, though 100 GHz–3 THz has been identified as promising for its unused spectrum.

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2026 Antarctic Ozone Hole Grows to Biggest in a Decade While Recovery Stays on Track

Key Updates:

  • The 2026 Antarctic ozone hole reached its largest extent in a decade, ranking as the seventh largest in 48 years of monitoring, according to NASA and NOAA.
  • Satellite observations showed the ozone hole peaked at 10.5 million square miles on September 18.
  • Scientists attributed the expansion to an unusually powerful polar vortex supported by weak planetary-scale weather systems during August and September.
  • Despite the increase, researchers say the ozone layer's long-term recovery remains on track as Montreal Protocol controls continue to reduce ozone-depleting substances.
  • NASA scientist Paul Newman noted the ozone hole could have been another one to two million square miles larger without international protection measures.

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Supreme Court rules 24-hour magistrate deadline begins when liberty is curtailed, not at formal arrest

Key Updates:

  • The Supreme Court, in a bench of Justices Ujjal Bhuyan and AS Chandurkar, ruled that the 24-hour period for producing an arrested person before a magistrate under Article 22(2) begins from the moment liberty is curtailed, not when the arrest is formally recorded.
  • The court held there can be no artificial distinction between detention and arrest creating a buffer period, disapproving judgments of the Orissa High Court (Aryaman Pattanaik, 2025), Kerala High Court (Arun K Thomas, 2026) and Madras High Court (Kannan, 2025).
  • The ruling arose from appeals by four persons detained on September 29, 2025 at 2 pm during a search and seizure of 11.03 kg of yaba tablets under the NDPS Act in Tripura, but formally shown as arrested only at 11 am the next day; the court held their about 18 hours of detention without judicial oversight violated Article 22(2) and warranted immediate release.
  • The court directed that even a person detained for search and seizure must be produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, and any detention without warrant must be for a reasonable period, failing which the person must be released.
  • Magistrates must specifically record the exact date and time from which a person's liberty was curtailed and examine whether the 24-hour constitutional deadline was observed, with only genuine journey time to the magistrate's court excludable.
  • The Tripura High Court had rejected the accused's bail pleas, holding the twin conditions under Section 37 of the NDPS Act applied for commercial quantity contraband, and had also rejected their challenge under Section 36 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
  • The court linked the safeguard to preventing custodial violence, citing the Bhagalpur blinding case as a recognised instance acknowledged in past judgments.

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Bilaspur–Manali–Leh Rail Project to Feature World's Highest Railway Station in Ladakh

Key Updates:

  • India plans a 489-km Bilaspur-Manali-Leh railway line costing Rs 1.31 lakh crore, featuring a station at Tengla near Tanglang La pass in Ladakh at about 5,359 metres (17,582 feet), which would surpass China's Tanggula station (5,068 metres or 16,627 feet) as the world's highest railway station.
  • The corridor will connect Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh with Leh in Ladakh via Sundernagar, Mandi, Manali, Keylong, Sarchu and Upshi, with over 270 km of the route in tunnels, 62 tunnels and 116 bridges, including India's first underground railway station at Keylong.
  • The survey is complete and a Detailed Project Report prepared, but the project awaits formal construction approval, requiring consultations and clearances from bodies including NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance.
  • The Ministry of Defence has designated the line as strategically significant for military logistics and all-weather connectivity to Ladakh, while the first phase, the Bhanupali-Bilaspur section, is under construction with completion expected by 2027.

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