NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Nirmala Sitharaman Inaugurates BioNEST Incubation Centre at IIT Dharwad: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the BioNEST Incubation Centre (BIC) at IIT Dharwad in collaboration with Research and Technology Incubator (dhaRti), aiming to foster innovation and entrepreneurship among students.The FM emphasized the government’s commitment to sustainable green models and zero emissions by 2047, highlighting support for renewable energy enterprises through subsidies, green bonds, and CSR funds, while noting the need for advanced technology in sectors like steel and cement to reduce emissions.Sitharaman stressed the importance of industry-academia collaboration, urging technology institutes to update curricula, provide hands-on experience, and help students develop multiple skill sets to meet the evolving needs of the job market and technological advancements.
2. BSNL Launches ₹1 Diwali 4G Plan Offering 30 Days of Free Services for New Customers: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has launched a special ₹1 Diwali 4G plan as a festive offer for new customers across India.The plan, valid from 15th of this month to 15th of next month, provides 30 days of free mobile services including unlimited calls, 2GB data per day, and 100 SMS per day.BSNL CMD A. Robert J. Ravi announced that the offer lets users experience the Make-in-India 4G network, along with five additional festive plans for different customer segments.
3. Anant Goenka Named FICCI President-Elect for 2025-26: FICCI announced Anant Goenka, Vice Chairman of RPG Group, as President-Elect for 2025-26, succeeding Harsha Vardhan Agarwal after the annual general meeting.Mr Goenka has previously served as MD and CEO of CEAT and has also worked with Unilever and KEC International.He holds an MBA from Kellogg School of Management and a BS in Economics from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. India Elected Unopposed to UN Human Rights Council for 2026–2028 Term: India has been elected unopposed to the UN Human Rights Council for the seventh time, for the 2026–2028 term, starting next year.Permanent Representative P. Harish stated that the election reflects India’s strong commitment to human rights and fundamental freedoms, expressing gratitude for the global support.The Human Rights Council, established in 2006 by the UN General Assembly, has 47 member countries and serves as the primary UN body for promoting and protecting human rights globally.
2. AmazonFACE Project Simulates Future Climate to Study Rainforest Adaptation: In the heart of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, scientists are conducting a groundbreaking experiment to simulate future atmospheric conditions and study how the biome might adapt to rising carbon dioxide levels. Known as the AmazonFACE project, this large-scale research effort aims to provide critical insights ahead of the COP30 United Nations Climate Summit, which Brazil will host next month. Located near Manaus, the AmazonFACE site consists of six towering steel rings built above the forest canopy, each encompassing 50 to 70 mature trees. Scientists plan to infuse three of these rings with carbon dioxide concentrations forecast for the coming decades, while the remaining rings serve as control groups. “We’re trying to create the atmosphere of the future,” explained Carlos Quesada from the National Institute for Amazon Research (INPA), which leads the project alongside Universidade Estadual de Campinas.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Defence Minister Approves 100% Hike in Financial Assistance for Ex-Servicemen and Dependents: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approved a 100% increase in financial assistance, doubling the penury grant from ₹4,000 to ₹8,000 per month per beneficiary, supporting aged and non-pensioner Ex-Servicemen and widows above 65 years with no regular income.The education grant has been raised from ₹1,000 to ₹2,000 per month per child for up to two dependent children, while the marriage grant has increased from ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh per beneficiary.The revised rates are effective for applications submitted from 1st November 2025, with an annual financial implication of approximately ₹257 crore.These schemes are funded through the Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Welfare Fund, a subset of the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund, reinforcing the government’s commitment to the social security of veterans and their families.
2. Indian Navy Hosts 5th Edition of Bilateral Maritime Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti – 2025’ with Indonesian Navy at Visakhapatnam: The Indian Navy is hosting the 5th edition of the Indo-Indonesian bilateral maritime exercise ‘Samudra Shakti – 2025’ at Visakhapatnam, with participation from INS Kavaratti and Indonesian Navy Ship KRI John Lie.The harbour phase includes activities like Cross Deck Visits, Joint Yoga Sessions, Friendly Sports Fixtures, and Professional Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEE) to enhance professional ties.The sea phase will feature advanced maritime operations such as Helicopter Operations, Air Defence Exercises, Weapon Firing Drills, and Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) exercises to strengthen tactical coordination.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. ANRF Approves Special Purpose Fund and Guidelines to Operationalize ₹1 Lakh Crore RDI Scheme for Private Sector-Led Innovation: The Executive Council of Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has approved the establishment of a Special Purpose Fund (SPF), Implementation Guidelines, and Governance Framework for the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Fund, aimed at boosting private sector-led R&D in sunrise sectors.The Department of Science & Technology (DST), with inputs from the Departments of Economic Affairs and Expenditure, prepared the Implementation Guidelines and Special Financial Rules, ensuring efficient governance and smooth execution to promote long-term innovation-driven growth.The RDI scheme will follow a two-tiered funding model, where the SPF under ANRF will manage the ₹1 lakh crore corpus and channel funds to second-level managers like AIFs, DFIs, and NBFCs, who will recommend investments through expert committees operating independently from the government.
2. Bharti Airtel Partners with IBM to Expand Cloud Services and Launch Multizone Regions in India: Bharti Airtel has partnered with IBM to offer the tech giant’s services through its Airtel Cloud platform, catering to growing demand for computing capacity.The partnership enables Airtel Cloud customers to deploy AI-ready servers and other IBM offerings in regulated sectors like banking, healthcare, and government.IBM and Airtel plan to establish two new Multizone Regions (MZRs) in Mumbai and Chennai to strengthen cloud infrastructure in India.Airtel’s collaboration with IBM complements its ongoing partnership with Google for a data center in Visakhapatnam, following Google’s $15 billion AI investment plan in Andhra Pradesh.
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Ministry of Labour & Employment Signs MoU with Zomato to Offer 2.5 Lakh Flexible Livelihood Opportunities Annually via NCS Portal: The Ministry of Labour & Employment (MoLE) signed an MoU with Zomato in New Delhi to enhance access to flexible and technology-enabled livelihood opportunities through the National Career Service (NCS) platform, aiming to integrate platform economy roles into the formal employment system.The NCS portal, launched in 2015, has mobilised over 7.7 crore vacancies, becoming a vital bridge between job seekers and employers, while this collaboration with Zomato will help connect more youth and women to dignified livelihoods.Under the new ‘Aggregator’ category, Zomato will list around 2.5 lakh flexible livelihood opportunities annually on the NCS portal, supporting the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PM-VBRY) and the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision to expand formalisation and social security coverage for gig and platform workers.
2. Arjun Ram Meghwal Launches LIMBS Live Cases Dashboard to Boost Transparency and Efficiency in Government Litigation Management: Union Minister of State for Law and Justice, Arjun Ram Meghwal, inaugurated the Live Cases Dashboard of the Legal Information Management and Briefing System (LIMBS) in New Delhi to enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency in government litigation management.The dashboard provides real-time information on all cases scheduled for hearing in the next seven days across the Supreme Court, High Courts, and other courts, allowing ministers and officers to monitor updates directly from their offices.The LIMBS portal currently tracks around 7 lakh live cases from 53 Ministries and Departments, enabling data-driven insights, better inter-ministerial coordination, and promoting the government’s vision of technology-enabled governance.
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