NATIONAL UPDATES:
1. CSIR Signs Pact with Industrial Corridor Corporation
to Boost Innovation and High-Tech R&D Ecosystems: CSIR and the National Industrial Corridor
Development Corporation signed an agreement to strengthen CSIR’s research and development
capabilities, supporting national initiatives like Make in India,
Startup India, and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.The partnership aims to establish R&D
hubs, industrial incubators, and innovation centres in smart cities to boost
collaboration between industry, academia, and research institutions,
accelerating the growth of high-tech enterprises.The collaboration will focus
on identifying and deploying advanced technologies to improve productivity,
efficiency, and sustainability across key sectors such as biotechnology,
renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and aerospace.
2. Adani Ports Joins TNFD, to Begin Nature-Related
Reporting from FY 2026: Adani
Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) has joined the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial
Disclosures (TNFD) as an official Adopter, strengthening its
commitment to sustainable and responsible business practices.As part of this
membership, APSEZ will begin nature-related reporting from the financial year
2026, aligning its operations with global standards on biodiversity, ecosystem
impact, and environmental risk management.The move reinforces APSEZ’s position
as India’s largest integrated transport utility contributing to transparent,
nature-positive strategies within the infrastructure and logistics sector.
3. India Achieves Record Decline in TB Cases &
Mortality, Strengthening Its March Toward a TB-Mukt Bharat: India achieved
a remarkable 21% reduction in TB
incidence (from 237 to 187 cases per lakh between 2015–2024), nearly
double the global decline of 12%, making it one of the fastest-improving
high-burden countries; TB mortality
also fell from 28 to 21 per lakh during the same period.Innovative
case-finding, decentralised services, and adoption of modern diagnostics
boosted India’s TB treatment coverage from 53% in 2015 to over 92% in 2024,
reducing “missing cases” from 15 lakh to less than 1 lakh, while maintaining a
high 90% treatment success rate, above the global average of 88%.The TB Mukt
Bharat Abhiyan has massively expanded screening and support, covering 19 crore
vulnerable people, detecting 24.5 lakh patients (including 8.61 lakh
asymptomatic cases), strengthening lab networks with 9,391 molecular testing
labs and AI-enabled X-rays, and enhancing nutrition support through Ni-kshay
Poshan Yojana, now offering ₹1,000 per month per patient.
4. GI Tag Granted to Sikkim’s Traditional Lepcha
Instruments Tungbuk and Pumtong Pulit:
The Government of India has
granted Geographical Indication
(GI) tags to two traditional Lepcha musical instruments of Sikkim —
the Tungbuk (a
three-string instrument) and Pumtong
Pulit (a bamboo flute) — officially registered.The GI certificates were
presented during the 1st Tribal Business Conclave in New Delhi, recognizing
their cultural significance and supporting the preservation and revival of
Lepcha folk traditions.NABARD Gangtok supported the two-year GI filing process,
and the Lepcha community expressed gratitude as the recognition will help
engage younger generations and boost artisan livelihoods.
5. 17th November – National Epilepsy Day: National Epilepsy Day is
observed on 17th November every
year in India to create awareness about epilepsy, a neurological
disorder affecting millions.
The
day aims to educate people about symptoms, early diagnosis, and treatment
options, reducing stigma associated with epilepsy.It is spearheaded by
institutions like the Epilepsy Foundation of India, which conducts awareness
campaigns, workshops, and medical camps.
INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:
1. Odisha to Host First-Ever Global Energy Leaders’
Summit (GELS) 2025 in Puri: Odisha will host the first-ever
Global Energy Leaders’ Summit (GELS) 2025 in Puri from December
5–7, jointly organised by the
Odisha Government, Central Government, and the Tony Blair Institute for Global
Change.Union Ministers Shripad Yesso Naik and Pralhad Joshi will attend
the summit, which aims to advance national and global dialogue on energy
transition, climate leadership, renewable energy growth, and technology-driven
transformation.
2. GELS 2025 aligns with India’s Net-Zero 2070 goals, highlighting
Odisha’s pioneering power sector reforms and reflecting the summit theme “Powering India: Sufficiency, Balance, Innovation,” based on the pillars of energy access, efficiency, sustainability, and
security.17-Year-Old Andhra Girl Selected for
Prestigious US Astronaut Training Programme: 17-year-old Kunchala Kaivalya Reddy from
East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, has been selected for a prestigious four-year astronaut training
programme in Florida (2026–2029), conducted by Titans Space Industries, with
only 150 candidates chosen from thousands across 36 countries.A passionate
student of physics, chemistry, and mathematics, Kaivalya’s dedication to space
science since childhood helped her secure this rare opportunity, officially
confirmed by the organisation’s CEO, Neil S. Lachman.After completing the
programme, she will qualify for a 2029 space mission involving two Earth orbits
at 300 km altitude and three hours of zero-gravity experience, while she aims
to pursue Astrophysics and Astronomy at LMU, Germany, to build a career as an
astrophysicist.
3. 17th November – International Students’ Day: International Students’ Day is
observed every year on 17th
November to honour student activism, courage, and the role of youth
in shaping societies.The day commemorates the 1939 Nazi attack on the
University of Prague, where student demonstrations were brutally suppressed,
and many students were imprisoned or killed.
OTHER UPDATES:
DEFENCE
1. Defence Ministry Signs ₹2,095-Crore Deal with BDL for
INVAR Anti-Tank Missiles to Boost T-90 Tank Power: The Ministry of Defence has signed a contract worth over
₹2,095 crore with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the procurement of INVAR
Anti-Tank Missiles to enhance the lethality of T-90 tanks.The deal
supports the government’s commitment to meeting the Indian Army’s operational
needs by leveraging Defence Public Sector Undertakings and promoting indigenous
defence technologies under the ‘Buy (Indian)’ category.The INVAR missile is a
sophisticated laser-guided anti-tank weapon with high hit probability, expected
to significantly strengthen mechanised operations and provide a strategic edge
against adversaries.
2. DRDO Unveils Next-Generation Autonomous Underwater
Vehicles for Advanced Mine Countermeasure Operations: DRDO’s Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL) has
developed next-generation Man-portable Autonomous Underwater Vehicles
(MP-AUVs) equipped with Side Scan Sonar, underwater cameras, and deep
learning-based target recognition for real-time mine detection and
classification.The system features autonomous communication between AUVs
through an advanced underwater acoustic communication network, enabling
coordinated mission execution and reducing operator workload and mission time.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
1. Punjab Becomes India’s First State to Fully Implement
the Amended Bharat Net Scheme: Punjab has become the first state in India to fully implement the
amended Bharat Net Scheme, enabling live monitoring of the border
state from anywhere in the country.The State has successfully extended high-speed
internet and broadband services to 43 shadow areas, with only one village left
to be connected before November-end.Bharat Net aims to connect all Gram
Panchayats, rural households, and institutions with broadband, and its
three-phase implementation focuses on expanding fibre coverage, using advanced
technologies, and future-proofing the network with 5G under the Amended
BharatNet Program (2023).
BANKING AND FINANCE
1. Federal Bank Unveils ‘Bharat Surotsav’ Cultural
Festival Celebrating India’s Artistic Heritage: Federal Bank launched
its new cultural IP ‘Bharat Surotsav’ in
Chennai, an immersive dance–music fusion festival celebrating India’s artistic
heritage, with the inaugural edition set for November 22 at Madras Music
Academy featuring renowned artists like Padma Shri Shobana, Agam Band,
Charumathi Raghuraman, and Ravi Chari.The festival offers exclusive benefits
for Federal Bank customers, including a 15% discount (up to ₹200) on ticket
bookings made via BookMyShow using Federal Bank debit or credit cards,
applicable once per card.Bharat Surotsav aims to blend culture with brand
identity, with each city edition showcasing local art forms to strengthen
emotional connection, regional pride, and community engagement, as highlighted
by Federal Bank CMO MVS Murthy.
2. PhonePe Becomes First UPI App to Integrate ChatGPT
Through Partnership with OpenAI: PhonePe and OpenAI have partnered
to integrate ChatGPT directly into
the PhonePe app, making it the first fintech–UPI platform to embed
AI-driven assistance for smarter and more informed payments and daily
transactions.With over 500 million users, PhonePe will roll out ChatGPT-powered
features across its consumer and business apps, enabling real-time help for
trip planning, product suggestions, and purchase decisions — though not the
full ChatGPT interface.
OpenAI’s Head of International, Oliver Jay, said the collaboration marks a major step in making AI accessible across India, highlighting PhonePe’s strong reach and understanding of Indian users as key to bringing AI benefits to millions.
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