Daily Current Affairs: 19 November 2025

Headline: India’s Gold Imports Triple to Record USD 14.72 bn in October, Trade Deficit Widens

Bullet Points:

• Gold imports surged about threefold to a record USD 14.72 billion in October compared to USD 4.92 billion in October 2024.
• Cumulative gold imports during April-October this fiscal rose 21.44 per cent to USD 41.23 billion from USD 34 billion a year ago.
• High gold imports pushed the country’s trade deficit to a record USD 41.68 billion in October.
• Gold accounts for over 5 per cent of India’s total imports.
• Switzerland is the largest source of gold imports with about 40 per cent share, followed by the UAE (over 16 per cent) and South Africa (about 10 per cent).
• Imports from Switzerland jumped by 403.67 per cent to USD 5.08 billion during October.
• Silver imports in October 2025 jumped by 528.71 per cent to USD 2.71 billion.

Headline: DRDO to supply Indian Army & IAF 16 indigenous laser-based drone detection-cum-interception systems

Bullet Points:

• 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

Headline: Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya and DRDO sign MoU to co-develop smart technologies for national security

Bullet Points:

• 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.

Headline: Indian Navy Unveils Crest of Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft

Bullet Points:

• The Indian Navy has unveiled the crest of Mahe, the first ship of the indigenously designed and built Mahe-class Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft.
• The crest is inspired from the cultural and martial legacy of Kerala, depicting a flexible sword named Urumi which is associated with Kalarippayattu and is a symbol of Kerala’s martial heritage.
• The crest symbolizes the confluence of country’s cultural heritage and technological prowess, marking another step in the Navy’s commitment to indigenisation, innovation, and Aatmanirbharta.
• The ship’s motto of Silent Hunters embodies stealth, vigilance and unwavering resolve.
• The Navy will commission Mahe on 24th of November in Mumbai.

Headline: India-UK conduct 8th 'Ajeya Warrior-25' joint military exercise in Rajasthan

Bullet Points:

• Exercise name: 'Ajeya Warrior-25' (8th edition)
• Location: Mahajan field firing ranges, Bikaner district, Rajasthan
• Participants: 240 personnel with equal representation from Indian Army (Sikh Regiment) and British Army
• Focus: Counter-terrorism operations in semi-urban environment under UN mandate
• Training components: joint mission planning at Brigade level, integrated tactical drills, simulation-based scenarios, company-level field training exercises

Headline: Marco Bezzecchi wins Valencia MotoGP finale and secures third in season standings

Bullet Points:

• Marco Bezzecchi claimed victory in the season-ending Valencia Grand Prix.
• Bezzecchi started on pole and finished ahead of Raul Fernandez (second) and Fabio Di Giannantonio (third).
• The result gave Bezzecchi third place in the overall season standings, Aprilla’s first top-three finish.

Headline: National Gopal Ratna Awards 2025: Objectives, Categories, and Prizes

Bullet Points:

• 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.

Headline: 16th Finance Commission Submits Report on Tax Devolution and Financial Arrangements

Bullet Points:

• 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.

Headline: India's Q2 FY26 Growth Forecasts by SBI, ET, and RBI; GST Collections Detailed

Bullet Points:

• A research report by the State Bank of India (SBI) predicts India’s economy to have expanded by about 7.5% in the second quarter of FY26.
• An ET poll of 12 economists suggested India’s economic growth likely quickened to 7.3% in the second quarter.
• The National Statistical Office (NSO) is scheduled to release the official figures on November 28.
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has projected September quarter growth at 7%.
• GDP rose 7.8% in the April–June quarter, which was the fastest pace in five quarters.
• GST rationalisation shifted to a two-rate structure of 5% and 18% from September 22.
• Gross domestic GST collections for November 2025, based on October 2025 returns, may be around ₹1.49 lakh crore, reflecting a year-on-year rise of 6.8%.
• Including ₹51,000 crore from IGST and cess collected on imports, total GST receipts for November could cross ₹2 lakh crore.
• The share of leading indicators that reflect growth in consumption and demand rose to 83% in the second quarter, up from 70% in the first quarter.

Headline: Ramoji Excellence Awards 2025 Conclude, Honoring Seven Exemplary Personalities Across Diverse Fields

Bullet Points:

• 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.'

Headline: India postpones Bangladesh women’s white-ball tour

Bullet Points:

• The Bangladesh women’s cricket team’s tour of India, comprising three ODIs and three T20Is scheduled for December, has been officially postponed.
• The BCCI informed the BCB that the series will be arranged at a later date, with no replacement timetable announced.
• The postponement is widely understood to be linked to current political tensions between India and Bangladesh.

Headline: Karnataka Health Advisory for Sabarimala Pilgrims

Bullet Points:

• Karnataka issues advisory for Sabarimala pilgrims amid rising cases of Amoebic meningoencephalitis.
• The state health department has advised the pilgrims travelling to Kerala to exercise caution during their travel.
• The advisory requested the visitors to use nose clips or close the nose tightly while bathing from water bodies during their visit to Kerala.
• The department asked the travellers to visit the nearest hospital and seek treatment if they experience fever, unbearable headache, vomiting, tightness in neck area, changes in mental state or behavioural disorders within seven days of the visit.

Headline: Google launches Gemini 3 with new coding app and record benchmark scores

Bullet Points:

• Google released Gemini 3, its latest and most advanced foundation model, immediately available through the Gemini app and AI search interface.
• Gemini 3 comes seven months after the Gemini 2.5 release and less than a week after OpenAI released GPT 5.1 and two months after Anthropic released Sonnet 4.5.
• A research-intensive version, Gemini 3 Deepthink, will be released to Google AI Ultra subscribers after further safety testing.
• Tulsee Doshi stated, 'With Gemini 3, we’re seeing this massive jump in reasoning.'
• Gemini 3 scored 37.4 on the Humanity’s Last Exam benchmark, the highest score on record, surpassing GPT-5 Pro’s previous high of 31.64.
• Gemini 3 topped the LMArena leaderboard, a human-led benchmark measuring user satisfaction.
• The Gemini app has more than 650 million monthly active users, and 13 million software developers have used the model in their workflow.
• Google also released Google Antigravity, a Gemini-powered coding interface that combines a prompt window, command-line interface, and browser window for agentic coding.
• DeepMind CTO Koray Kavukcuoglu said, 'The agent can work with your editor, across your terminal, across your browser to make sure that it helps you build that application in the best way possible.'

Headline: Cambridge Dictionary's Word of the Year and New Entries

Bullet Points:

• "Parasocial" is the Cambridge Dictionary's Word of the Year.
• The Cambridge Dictionary defines "parasocial" as a relationship felt by someone between themselves and a famous person they do not know.
• The term "parasocial" dates back to 1956.
• The word was first coined by University of Chicago sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl.
• New entrants to the Cambridge Dictionary included skibidi, delulu and tradwife.
• 'Manifest' was the Cambridge Dictionary Word of the Year previously.
• 'The ick' and 'boop' were also newest entries in the dictionary.

Headline: IIT Delhi Leads India in QS World University Rankings Sustainability 2026; Sweden's Lund University Achieves Global Top Spot

Bullet Points:

• IIT Delhi is the top-ranked Indian institution in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026, slipping to rank 205 from last year’s 171.
• No Indian institute entered the global top 200 in the 2026 rankings.
• IIT Bombay and IIT Kharagpur are ranked 236 globally, down from 235 and 202 respectively.
• Among the top 10 Indian institutions, six are IITs.
• Of the 15 IITs featured, six improved their rank compared to 2025.
• IIT Delhi and IIT Kharagpur entered the top 100 in Employability and Outcomes, ranking 93rd and 96th respectively.
• University of Delhi rose 27 places in Knowledge Exchange to rank 94th.
• IIT Bombay ranks 100th globally in the Environmental Impact lens.
• IIT Kharagpur placed 49th in Environmental Sustainability.
• University of Delhi rose 31 places in Governance to rank 187th globally.
• India has 103 universities in the rankings, with 26 new entries this year.
• Globally, Lund University (Sweden) is ranked 1st, followed by University of Toronto (2nd) and UCL (3rd).
• The US has 240 universities in the rankings, China 163, UK 109, India 103, and France 76.

Headline: Malawi debuts world’s first AI-driven, blockchain-verified Paris Agreement Implementation Platform

Bullet Points:

• Technology: AI-driven, blockchain-verified Paris Agreement Implementation Platform (PAIP) integrating smart contracts, satellite imagery, machine learning models, and immutable blockchain infrastructure
• Developers: Built by TRST01 as core technology partner within the Green Economy Partnership (GEP)
• Function: Automates national GHG inventories, long-term strategies, climate project matching, resilience scoring, and data confidence indexes while providing auditable evidence for regulators and verifiers
• Verification: Secures every credit and transaction on a public ledger to monitor emissions and verify climate projects with scientific precision
• Access: Offered free of charge to other Global South nations to accelerate Article 6 implementation and democratize access to advanced climate technologies

Headline: COP30: Cambodia Joins 17 Countries Formally Pushing for Fossil Fuel Treaty

Bullet Points:

• At COP30, Cambodia announced its support for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative.
• This pushed the number of countries supporting the initiative to 18.
• The initiative aims to create a binding legal framework to phase out oil, gas and coal.
• Cambodia announced its support for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative during a high-level meeting on November 17, 2025 at the 30th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) at Belem, Brazil.
• Another 10 countries so far have expressed support informally and enjoy the status of observers.
• Two of those, Sri Lanka and Nepal, participated in meeting.
• The first International Conference on the Phase-Out of Fossil Fuels is to be hosted by Colombia in April 2026.

Headline: Union Ministry of Power Policy for Co-firing Biomass and MSW Charcoal in Thermal Power Plants

Bullet Points:

• The Union Ministry of Power, Government of India, released a comprehensive policy on co-firing biomass and torrefied charcoal from municipal solid waste in coal-based thermal power plants (TPP) on November 7, 2025.
• The policy aims to utilise surplus agricultural residue and unmanaged municipal waste to reduce emissions and support the Swachh Bharat Mission.
• All coal-based thermal power plants in Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR) are directed to use a 5 per cent (by weight) blend of biomass pellets and an additional 2 per cent blend of either biomass pellets or torrefied charcoal made from MSW, along with coal, with effect from financial year 2025-26.
• Other thermal power plants outside NCR will have to co-fire 5 per cent (by weight) of biomass pellets or torrefied MSW charcoal from 2025-26.
• For TPPs located in NCR and adjoining areas, a minimum of 50 per cent of the raw material in pellets must consist of stubble, straw or rice paddy crop residue sourced exclusively from NCR and adjoining regions.
• The cost of co-firing biomass pellets and MSW charcoal shall be passed through the Energy Charge Rate (ECR) for TPPs under Section 62 of the Electricity Act, 2003, or claimed under change-in-law provisions/fuel cost pass-through for TPPs under Section 63.
• There is also a provision for exemptions on a case-by-case basis, to be examined by a committee comprising representatives of the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), Commission for Air Quality Management in NCR and Adjoining Areas (CAQM), Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd, SAMARTH Mission, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Central Power Research Institute.

Headline: 8th Chair Poetry Evenings – Kolkata’s International Poetry Festival to be held from November 28 to 30, 2025

Bullet Points:

• The festival will feature poets from thirteen countries presenting works in sixteen different languages.
• The event reinforces the festival’s spirit of global poetic exchange as stated in the article.
• The eighth edition of Chair Poetry Evenings is scheduled to take place in Kolkata.

Headline: PayU receives RBI authorisation to operate as payment aggregator for online, offline and cross-border transactions

Bullet Points:

• PayU has received authorisation from the Reserve Bank of India to operate as a payment aggregator across online, offline and cross-border transactions, including both inward and outward, under the Payment and Settlement Systems (PSS) Act.
• The approval enables PayU to offer secure, compliant, and seamless payment acceptance, settlement and cross-border solutions for merchants across channels.
• This development strengthens PayU's position as a full-stack digital payments provider, empowering businesses with reliable and seamless experiences across online, offline and cross-border touchpoints.

Headline: Uttar Pradesh Government's Modern Policing and Crime-Free Initiatives

Bullet Points:

• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasizes a zero-tolerance approach to crime, declaring that the 'new Uttar Pradesh does not accept crime'.
• The upgraded Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) in Gorakhpur was inaugurated, costing Rs 72.78 crore, to strengthen modern policing efforts.
• The long-awaited Commissionerate system has begun implementation, marking a 50-year milestone in the state's policing.
• The government has reinforced law enforcement by transforming cities into safe zones using extensive CCTV surveillance.

Headline: C-DOT to establish Centre of Excellence for quantum communication inside Amaravati Quantum Valley

Bullet Points:

• The Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) signed an MoU with the Andhra Pradesh government to join the Amaravati Quantum Valley (AQV) initiative.
• C-DOT will set up a Centre of Excellence focused on quantum communication and security solutions plus privacy enhancement technologies (PETs).
• The AQV project, located in Amaravati, is designed to create an integrated quantum ecosystem combining hardware manufacturing, software development, talent pool and research excellence.
• The CoE will support research and testing aligned to India’s National Quantum Mission in quantum security solutions and develop PETs to comply with MeitY’s Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) framework.
• It will also work on cost-effective sub-component development for quantum communication systems and establish an integrated testbed for quantum security to build a quantum-safe ecosystem nationwide.

Headline: National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2.0 Launched

Bullet Points:

• Policy Name: National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2.0 (NAP-AMR 2.0).
• Launch Authority: Union Health Minister JP Nadda.
• Main Objective: To curb the growing threat of drug-resistant infections.
• Key Strategies/Features: Enhancing laboratory capacity, infection control in healthcare facilities, increasing the ownership of AMR-related efforts, strengthening inter-sectoral coordination, ensuring stronger engagement with the private sector, and strengthening awareness, education and training.
• Development Process: Started in 2022 through a series of stakeholder consultations and high-level meetings between participants from more than 20 concerned ministries and departments.
• Background: The initial framework for countering antimicrobial resistance, the National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (NAP-AMR), was first introduced in 2017 by the Health Ministry.
• Identified Gaps in Previous Plan (from NCDC report): Lacked standardized methodologies for conducting KAP (Knowledge, Attitude and Practices) studies, inadequate consolidation of data from existing KAP studies, lack of collaboration and communication between stakeholders, and absence of an integrated platform.

Headline: Carlos Alcaraz Withdraws from Davis Cup Finals Due to Injury

Bullet Points:

• World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz has withdrawn from the Davis Cup Finals due to an injury.
• The Spanish star injured himself in the first set of the final against Jannik Sinner, where he lost 7-6, 7-5.
• He has edema in his right hamstring and the medical recommendation is not to compete.
• Earlier, Jannik Sinner also pulled out from the event.
• Spain were preparing to face Czechia in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
• With the world No. 1 out, Spain are likely to field Jaume Munar and Pablo Carreno Busta in the singles matches, while Marcel Granollers and Pedro Martinez will handle the doubles.

Headline: Top Maoist Commander Madvi Hidma Killed in Encounter

Bullet Points:

• Madvi Hidma, the commander of the Maoists Peoples Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Battalion 1, was killed by security forces in Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday (November 18) morning, along with his wife and four others.
• Hidma was one of India’s most wanted Maoist commanders.
• He carried a bounty exceeding Rs 1 crore but remained out of the forces’ bounds until now.
• Madvi Hidma, who was in his 40s, was born in Puvarti, a remote village in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district.
• He was reportedly the youngest Central Committee Member (CCM) of the CPI (Maoist), its top decision-making body.
• Hidma was married to Raje alias Rajakka, a Divisional Committee Member (DVCM).
• The Chhattisgarh Police has described Hidma’s death as the “last nail in the coffin” of the insurgency.

Headline: World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day observed as countries accelerate action

Bullet Points:

• November 17 marks the first World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day – mandated by the World Health Assembly.
• The Day supports the core pillars of the WHO’s global elimination strategy: vaccinating 90% of girls against human papillomavirus (HPV), screening 70% of women, and treating 90% of those with pre-cancer and invasive cancer.
• Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and its partners estimate that the ambitious goal to reach 86 million girls by the end of 2025 has been met.

Headline: Oscar Piastri receives The Don Award, Australia's highest sports honour

Bullet Points:

• Oscar Piastri was bestowed The Don Award, Australia's highest sports honour, named after cricket legend Sir Donald Bradman.
• He received the award while preparing for the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
• Piastri’s 2025 season included seven Grand Prix victories and 14 podium finishes, securing him second in the drivers' standings.

Headline: COP30 in Belém adopts Global Goal on Adaptation indicators to mobilize collective climate resilience

Bullet Points:

• COP30 Presidency introduced 'Global Mutirão' as the summit’s call for collective climate action
• Expected adoption of ~100 indicators under the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) to track resilience progress
• Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT programmes (Africa Agriculture Adaptation Atlas and Adaptation Insights) already operationalize data-driven adaptation investment plans in Ghana, Mali, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Tanzania and Kenya

Headline: Global Methane Status Report Warns of Slow Progress, Outlines Path to 2030 Goals

Bullet Points:

• The Global Methane Status Report (GMSR) 2025 is a flagship analysis by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC).
• The report warns that the world is making progress on methane reduction but far too slowly to meet the 2030 Global Methane Pledge (GMP).
• Methane, a potent greenhouse gas responsible for nearly a third of current warming, reached approximately 352 million tonnes (Mt) in 2020.
• Under current legislation, emissions are projected to rise to 369 Mt by 2030, pushing the world further from its agreed goal of cutting methane emissions at least 30 per cent below 2020 levels by 2030.
• Agriculture accounts for 42 per cent of global methane emissions, primarily from livestock digestion (enteric fermentation), rice cultivation, and manure management.
• More than 72 per cent of total global 2030 methane reduction potential lies in the energy sector, where many solutions deliver near-immediate results at low or even negative cost.
• Fully implementing technical measures consistent with the GMP will require $127 billion per year by 2030, while tracked funding reached $13.7 billion annually in 2021–22.

Headline: EC Orders 'Special Revision' of Assam Voter List: Key Features and Schedule

Bullet Points:

• The Election Commission has ordered a 'Special Revision' of Assam's electoral rolls.
• January 1, 2026, is the qualifying date for the revision exercise, with the final voter list scheduled for publication on February 10, 2026.
• This focused update aims for accuracy and is designed to strengthen accuracy and address gaps in the list in a structured but moderate manner.
• The process involves door-to-door verification by Booth Level Officers (BLOs) using pre-filled registers, with each household serving as the basic unit for confirming or correcting voter details.
• The Special Revision is more extensive than a routine summary revision but not as demanding as a full Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which is a far more rigorous and exhaustive process.
• Details of D-Voters (doubtful voters) will not be included in the BLO register, and their particulars will continue to be carried forward to the draft electoral roll without alteration, unless an order is received from a competent Foreigners' Tribunal or an appropriate court of law.

Headline: e-Jagriti Portal: Key Features and Consumer Grievance Redressal Impact

Bullet Points:

• Portal Name: e-Jagriti digital consumer grievance redressal platform, Consumer Affairs Ministry, Government of India
• Objective: Provide seamless global access and improve resolution efficiency for consumer complaints across India
• Key Features: OTP-based registration, digital document exchange, virtual hearings, provisions for visually impaired users, paperless processing

Headline: India’s April-October 2025 exports up 4.84% YoY at US$ 491.80 billion; October trade deficit widens to US$ 21.80 billion

Bullet Points:

• Cumulative exports (merchandise & services) April-October 2025: US$ 491.80 billion vs US$ 469.11 billion in April-October 2024, a 4.84% rise.
• October 2025 total exports: Rs. 6,46,243 crore (US$ 72.89 billion), down 0.68% YoY; imports rose 14.87% to Rs. 8,39,610 crore (US$ 94.70 billion), yielding a trade deficit of Rs. 1,93,279 crore (US$ 21.80 billion).
• October 2025 merchandise exports: Rs. 3,04,813 crore (US$ 34.38 billion); merchandise imports: Rs. 6,74,348 crore (US$ 76.06 billion).
• October 2025 services exports estimated at Rs. 3,41,518 crore (US$ 38.52 billion), higher than the previous year.
• Electronic goods exports October 2025 up 19.05% YoY; meat, dairy & poultry 30.87%; marine products 11.08%; cashew 126.85%; coffee 10.91%.
• April-October 2025 merchandise exports: Rs. 22,54,181 crore (US$ 254.25 billion); services exports: Rs. 21,06,118 crore (US$ 237.55 billion).
• Services exports growth April-October 2025: 9.75%.
• April-October 2025 imports: Rs. 50,53,177 crore (US$ 569.95 billion), up 5.74% YoY.
• Non-petroleum & non-gems & jewellery exports April-October 2025: Rs. 18,03,344 crore (US$ 203.40 billion).
• Major export destinations with strong October 2025 growth: China, Spain, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Tanzania.

Headline: Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS): Key Features and Objectives

Bullet Points:

• Scheme Name: Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS); Notified on April 8 this year with an outlay of ₹22,919 crore.
• Objective: Bolster India’s push into producing high-value components and integrating into global value chains (GVCs).
• Key Features: Offers investment, turnover-linked, and capital expenditure (capex)-linked incentives across sub-assemblies (electronics), supply chain ecosystem, and sub-assembly (telecom); six-year duration with one-year gestation period.
• Latest Approval: 17 new projects worth ₹7,172 crore approved, taking the cumulative tally to 24 approved projects.
• Investment & Production: Total proposed investment under ECMS stands at ₹1.15 lakh crore against a target of ₹59,000 crore; projects are expected to yield production worth ₹65,111 crore cumulatively.
• Employment: Applicants propose to create employment for nearly 1.41 lakh people compared to a target of 91,600.
• Categories Covered: Camera module, connectors, multi-layer PCB, oscillators, enclosures, among others, spread across nine states.

Headline: GSV–DRDO MoU targets indigenous smart defence tech in logistics, chip design & cryptography

Bullet Points:

• MoU signed on 17 November 2025 in New Delhi between Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) and Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
• Joint focus on Defence Logistics Management: “Modelling, simulation, and validation of logistics plans” and “Improving supply chain resilience for defence operations”
• Indigenous chip design & hardware security: “Indigenous chip design for defence applications” and “Secure hardware solutions for critical systems”
• Advanced cryptographic R&D: “Homomorphic encryption for secure computation” and “Blockchain-based encryption for tamper-proof defence communication systems”
• Human-capacity building: “Train young researchers, scientists, and military logisticians” through workshops, conferences and research exchanges

Headline: Bank of Baroda-SIDBI pact to channel joint finance to MSMEs; RBL, Axis, The Standard unveil new products

Bullet Points:

• 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'.

Headline: Master Capital Services receives SEBI in-principle approval to sponsor mutual fund

Bullet Points:

• 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.

Headline: South Indian Bank Launches 'SIB HER Account' Premium Savings for Women

Bullet Points:

• 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.

Headline: India's Q2 FY26 GDP Projections and Economic Indicators

Bullet Points:

• A report by SBI projected India’s GDP growth at 7.5 per cent for the second quarter.
• The rating agency ICRA expects a lower GDP print of 7 per cent for the quarter.
• For Q3 and Q4, RBI projected 6.4% and 6.2% respectively.
• The SBI Research estimates FY26 GDP growth at 7.3%–7.5%.
• Gross domestic GST collections for November 2025 are expected to be around Rs 1.49 lakh crore, registering 6.8 per cent YoY growth.
• The share of leading indicators reflecting growth in consumption and demand increased to 83 per cent in Q2, compared with 70 per cent in Q1.
• The actual Q2 GDP print is likely to be announced on November 28.

Headline: International Day for Tolerance observed on November 16 annually

Bullet Points:

• International Day for Tolerance is observed annually on November 16.
• In 1995, UNESCO adopted the UNESCO Declaration of Principles on Tolerance.
• The UN General Assembly (UNGA) invited UN member states to observe the International Day for Tolerance on November 16 the following year.
• The International Day for Tolerance reminds the world to embrace diversity, reject discrimination, and promote peace, compassion, education, and peaceful coexistence for all.
• To highlight the cause of peaceful coexistence and non-violence, the UN established in 1995, the UNESCO-Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Tolerance and Non-Violence.
• This award is given to people who promote a spirit of non-violence and tolerance, in scientific, artistic, cultural and communication fields.
• Madanjeet Singh, born in 1924, at Lahore, devoted his life to creating communal harmony and peace and was even made the UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.