International Relations & Exercises

• Mitra Shakti 11 Exercise:
  • Countries: India and Sri Lanka.
  • Location: Belagavi, Karnataka, India.
  • Dates: November 10-23.
  • Indian Participants: Rajput Regiment.
  • Nature: Anti-terrorism exercise.
• Related Exercises:
  • SLINEX: India and Sri Lanka.
  • Dosti: India, Sri Lanka, and Maldives.
  • Ekta and Ekuverin: India and Maldives.
• India-Bahrain UPI Partnership:
  • Partners: India's NPCI (UPI) and Bahrain's Benefit.
  • Purpose: Real-time cross-border payments.
  • Previous UPI partnerships: UAE, Singapore, Nepal, Bhutan, France, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Qatar.
• International Big Cat Alliance: Nepal joined as a member.
• BIMSTEC Bharat Maritime Research Network (BIMREN) Conference: Held in Kochi.
• Abraham Accords: Kazakhstan announced joining.

Awards & Recognition

• Booker Prize 2025:
  • Recipient: David David Zele (Hungarian-British author).
  • Novel: "Flash".
  • Award Criteria: English language novel.
• National Maritime Search and Rescue Board Awards (23rd Meeting, Gandhinagar):
  • Kedarnath Bhole Boat: Best fishing boat.
  • ICG Rajveer Pot: Best government-owned vessel in rescue and relief.
• Lalit Kala Akademi Award: Awarded to Premchand Pokhrambam from Manipur.
• IMD World Competitiveness Ranking: India ranked 41st.
• Innovation Index: India ranked 38th.
• Time Out's City Life Index 2025: Mumbai named Asia's happiest city.
• Best Public Transport System: Awarded to Chennai at the 18th Urban Mobility India Conference.

Appointments

• UN Tourism: Sheikha Nasaar (UAE) became the first woman to lead the organization. Her 4-year term starts in January 2026.
• Boxing Federation of India: Ajay Singh re-elected as President for a third term.
• Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD): India elected as President. Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Health & Environment

• Rift Valley Fever (RVF):
  • Outbreak confirmed by WHO: Mauritania and Senegal (Western Africa).
  • Nature: Virus-borne (Flavovirus family), zoonotic (spreads from livestock to humans).
  • Origin of Name: First identified in Rift Valley, Kenya.
• Rubella Elimination: Nepal was verified by WHO for Rubella elimination.
• Sal Tree: A study by Himachal Pradesh University identified the Sal tree as the best air purifier.
• Marine Elite Force: Chennai announced its second force for Olive Ridley turtle protection (Operation Olivia).
• Pampa River (Kerala): To be included in the National River Conservation Plan.

Infrastructure & Development

• Hanimadhoo International Airport (Maldives):
  • Development: With India's assistance (Exim Bank provided 800 million assistance).
  • Inauguration: Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu and India's Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu.
• Urban Extension Road (UER) Second Scheme: Launched in Delhi to manage traffic.
• Patna Purnia Expressway (Bihar): Renamed National Expressway Number Nine.
• Second Green Hydrogen Plant: Inaugurated in Gorakhpur (first was in Kandla, Gujarat).
• India's First FinTech Hub (IGFTCH): Launched in Odisha.
• India's First Urban Ropeway Transport System: Started in Varanasi.

Government & Policy

• Tejas Mark 1A Aircraft: Central Government approved a 62,000 crore deal for 97 aircraft.
• Shramshree Yojana (West Bengal): Launched to provide ₹5,000/month financial aid to migrant workers.
• Online Gaming Promotion and Regulation Bill: Provisions include 3 years imprisonment and a ₹1 crore fine.
• Madrasa Board (Uttarakhand): Dissolved to form the Minority Education Authority.
• Assam Polygamy Prohibition Bill 2025:
  • Approved by: Assam Government.
  • Purpose: Prohibits multiple marriages while a previous marriage is valid. Aims to bring uniformity in marriage laws.
  • Penalty: 7 years imprisonment.
  • Exemptions: Not applicable to Scheduled Tribes (ST) and marriages before 2005.
• School Web App (Delhi): Launched by Delhi Government to digitalize education and streamline school administration.

Science & Technology

• Agni-5 Ballistic Missile: Tested in Chandipur, Odisha (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile).
• AI Model "Surya": NASA collaborated with IBM for solar storm prediction.
• Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS): DRDO successfully tested it in Odisha.
• Mangalyaan-2: ISRO announced plans to launch by 2030.
• 3rd Conference on Green Hydrogen: Held in Bharat Mandap, New Delhi.
• National Space Day: Celebrated on August 23rd, marking the Chandrayaan-3 landing.

Other

• National Education Day: Celebrated on November 11th, commemorating the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, India's first Education Minister.
• World Vaccination Day: Celebrated on November 10th.
• Samanvay Shakti 2025: Indian Army's military-civil integration exercise held in Assam and Manipur.
• Sundarbans Tiger Reserve: Became India's second largest tiger reserve after area expansion (after Nagarjunasagar Srisailam).
• Khelo India Water Sports Festival: First edition held in Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh topped the medal tally.
• 134th Durand Cup (Football): Won by North East United FC.
• ADR Report: Telangana CM Revanth Reddy identified with the most criminal cases.
• Operation Sanskar: Started in Dungarpur, Rajasthan.
• Indian President Droupadi Murmu: Made the first-ever visit by an Indian President to Angola.