28th November 2025

1. MoA&FW Released First Advanced Estimates of Kharif Crop Production for 2025-26
2. IIT Kharagpur Unveils Special Postage Stamp as a Part of Platinum Jubilee Celebrations
3. World Bank Approved USD 776 Million for Development Projects in Punjab and Maharashtra
4. BHIM Launches ‘Full Delegation’ Feature for UPI Circle to Boost User Engagement
5. PPSL Secures RBI Approval to Operate as Payment Aggregator
6. Paras Defence Signs ToT Agreement with DRDO for DNS System
7. Overview of 25th Summer Deaflympics 2025 Held in Tokyo, Japan
8. Asian Paints Inks 3-Year Partnership with BCCI as Official Colour Partner
9. Legendary Bharatanatyam Dancer Kumari Kamala Passed Away
10. World Sustainable Transport Day 2025 – November 26
11. CBDT Unveils the ‘NUDGE’ Campaign to Promote Voluntary Tax Compliance
12. Cyclone Ditwah Approaches the Tamil Nadu Coast as Authorities Prepare for Rain and Wind
13. PM Modi Launches the Vikram-I Rocket and Skyroot’s Infinity Campus
14. Digital Connexion Announces an $11 Billion Investment in an AI Data Centre in Visakhapatnam
15. MapmyIndia Partners with Zoho CRM to Build India’s First Indigenous Location Intelligence
16. The Sardar@150 Unity March Begins as a National Padyatra Celebrating the Legacy of Unity
17. The India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) 2025 Focuses on an Inclusive and Sustainable Digital Future
18. Javokhir Sindarov Is Crowned the 2025 FIDE World Cup Champion
19. Indian Army Hosts Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025
20. 44th India International Trade Fair Concludes with Awards
21. 10-Year-Old Giovanna De Sequeira Wins Bronze for India at World Jiu-Jitsu Championship
22. India Registers Heaviest Test Defeat vs South Africa: 408-Run Margin
23. Camikara Becomes First Indian Rum to Win ‘Global Brand of the Year’
24. Jakarta Becomes World’s Most Populous City, Surpassing Tokyo: UN Report 2025
25. Indian Scientists Develop AI Tool ‘OncoMark’ to Decode Cancer
26. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Bust Unveiled at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on Constitution Day
27. India Global Forum (IGF) Launches $250 Million Fund to Take Indian Brands Global
28. Goa CM Releases Commemorative Stamp Honouring Filmmaker K Vaikunth at IFFI 56
29. India’s Economy to Grow at 6.6% in 2025–26, Says IMF

National News

1. IIT Kharagpur Unveils Stamp, Plans Houston Outreach Initiative

• What:
  • Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur released a special postage stamp and began talks on a strategic outreach initiative in Houston, USA, as part of its platinum jubilee celebrations.
• Why:
  • The stamp recognizes IIT Kharagpur’s legacy as the first IIT in India and the Houston initiative aims to enhance global academic and research collaboration.
• Tell me more:
  • The stamp release was held at Sriniketan, Bolpur, associated with Rabindranath Tagore, and conducted simultaneously across 1,64,987 post offices in India.
  • Discussions for the Houston initiative focus on academic collaborations, innovation, entrepreneurial engagement, and industry and alumni partnerships.
  • The venue symbolizes India’s heritage of knowledge and the alignment of Tagore’s philosophy with IIT’s academic ecosystem.
  • The Houston centre aims to strengthen India-US partnerships in science, technology, and innovation.

Source: IE

2. PM Modi Inaugurates Skyroot’s Infinity Campus, Unveils Vikram-I

• What:
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Skyroot Aerospace’s Infinity Campus and unveiled Vikram-I, the company’s first orbital launch vehicle via video conferencing.
• Why:
  • The inauguration highlights India’s growing space sector and the private sector’s major role in innovation, entrepreneurship, and youth-driven space advancements.
• Tell me more:
  • Skyroot Aerospace launched Vikram-S, India’s first private sub-orbital rocket, in November 2022.
  • Skyroot Aerospace was founded by Pawan Chandana and Bharath Dhaka, IIT alumni and former ISRO scientists.
  • Vikram-I can place satellites into orbit.
  • The Infinity Campus reflects India’s new thinking, innovation, and youth power in the space ecosystem.

Source: IE

3. India Internet Governance Forum 2025 Begins in New Delhi

• What:
  • The fifth edition of India Internet Governance Forum (IIGF) started on 27-28 November in New Delhi at India Habitat Centre and India International Centre.
• Why:
  • The forum brings stakeholders together to discuss India’s internet direction, identify key areas, and advance governance for an Inclusive and Sustainable Viksit Bharat.
• Tell me more:
  • Theme focuses on Inclusive Digital Future, Digital Infrastructure for Resilient Growth, and AI for People, Planet and Progress with emphasis on safe AI use.
  • Event includes four panel discussions and twelve workshops with speakers from UN IGF, Meta, Google Cloud, CCAOI, and academic institutions.
  • Inaugurated by Union Minister Shri Jitin Prasada with Shri Sushil Pal, Joint Secretary MeitY (Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology), and Dr. Devesh Tyagi, CEO NIXI (National Internet Exchange of India).

4. Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 Begins in New Delhi

• What:
  • Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 (CDD 2025) commenced at Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, organised by Indian Army with Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLWS).
• Why:
  • Dialogue centres on national vision of “Sashakt, Surakshit and Viksit Bharat” and examines India’s security challenges and technological frontiers in contested global landscape.
• Tell me more:
  • President Droupadi Murmu graced inaugural session and commended Indian Army for national security and border development.
  • Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi delivered keynote on multipolar world and Army’s three-phase transformation:
    • HOP (Horizontal Organisational Restructuring for Proficiency) 2032,
    • STEP (Structuring and Training for Enhanced Proficiency) 2037,
    • JUMP (Jointness and Unity for Multi-domain Preparedness) 2047.
  • Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh called 2025 “Year of Reforms” with 75% capital procurement budget for domestic industry.
  • Inaugural day featured sessions on SHINOOOR (Sovereign Strategic Victor), World Order and India’s Position, Suga Vasina’s Quot (Vitalising Defence Reforms), and Civil-Military Fusion.
  • Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan gave keynote on technology revolution in warfare and multi-domain operations.

Source: ANI

5. 44th India International Trade Fair Concludes in New Delhi

• What:
  • 44th India International Trade Fair (IITF) concluded at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, with award presentation for various categories.
• Why:
  • Theme of fair was Ek Bharat Shresth Bharat.
• Tell me more:
  • Rajasthan won gold in partner states category, Jharkhand gold in focus state category.
  • Odisha got gold, Madhya Pradesh silver, Puducherry bronze in states and UTs category.
  • Ministry of Defence won gold, Ministry of Mines silver in ministries and departments category.
  • Bihar as partner state won silver medal for outstanding pavilion exhibition.
  • Over 18 lakh people visited, more than 3500 exhibitors from India and countries like China, Egypt, Iran, South Korea, Thailand, UAE participated.

Source: NOA TOI

6. India Global Forum (IGF) Launches $250 Million Fund to Take Indian Brands Global

• What:
  • India Global Forum (IGF) announced a $250 million fund to help Indian consumer and industrial brands expand into global markets.
• Why:
  • The initiative aims to support Indian companies with growth capital, market access, and logistics to scale internationally.
• Tell me more:
  • The fund is anchored by Ved Family Office and Ananta Capital and was unveiled at IGF Middle East 2025 in Dubai.
  • It includes an Accelerator Programme to assist Indian firms in entering markets across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and beyond.
  • The focus sectors include food & beverage, consumer brands, chemicals, automotive, advanced manufacturing, and industrial products.
  • Indian companies will gain access to tailored market-entry support, investor connections, and Dubai’s logistics ecosystem through DP World.
  • The initiative strengthens economic ties between India and the UAE by leveraging Dubai as a global launchpad.

Source: BS

State News

1. Visakhapatnam Attracts $26 Billion Data Centre Investments

• What:
  • Visakhapatnam emerged as a data centre hotspot with $26 billion investments from Google, Meta, Reliance, and others for AI infrastructure.
• Why:
  • Andhra Pradesh plans to scale data centre capacity to 6 GW in three years to embrace AI development and create jobs.
• Tell me more:
  • Reliance Industries, Brookfield, and Digital Realty’s Digital Connexion project involves $11 billion for a 1 GW AI data centre park over five years.
  • AdaniConnex and Google’s $15 billion project includes a 1 GW data centre and technology park powered by renewable energy from 2026-2030.
  • Nxtra by Airtel and Google partnership develops a data centre and cable landing station for cloud and AI support.
  • Sify Technologies laid foundation for a 50 MW AI edge data centre and open cable landing station at Rushikonda.

Source: ET

2. Sardar@150 National Unity March Launched in Gujarat

• What:
  • Mera Yuva (MY) Bharat, Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports, launched the Sardar@150 National Unity March from Anand, Gujarat, as an 11-day 180 km padyatra to the Statue of Unity in Kevadia.
• Why:
  • The march commemorates the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and promotes the vision of Ek Bharat, Aatmanirbhar Bharat through unity and nation-building.
• Tell me more:
  • Four national Pravah Road Yatras – Ganga from Delhi, Yamuna from Jaipur, Narmada from Nagpur, Godavari from Mumbai on 28th November – will converge in Anand.

Source: PIB

International News

1. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s Bust Unveiled at UNESCO Headquarters on Constitution Day

• What:
  • A bust of B R Ambedkar was unveiled at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Constitution Day.
• Tell me more:
  • The bust was unveiled by Vishal V Sharma, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO.
  • UNESCO Director General Khaled El-Enany was present during the ceremony.
  • The bust includes a plaque stating “Architect of the Indian Constitution, 70 Years (1950-2025) of the Indian Constitution.”

Source: DC

Banking and Economy

1. World Bank Approves Digital Learning, Climate Agriculture Projects

• What:
  • The World Bank approved two projects to expand digital learning in Punjab and boost climate-resilient agriculture in Maharashtra benefiting over 60 lakh people.
• Why:
  • These projects support India’s use of technology to improve public services in education and agriculture.
• Tell me more:
  • The Punjab Outcomes-Acceleration in School Education (POISE) programme involves a USD 286 million loan to track and improve student performance across primary and secondary government schools and early childhood education.
  • The Maharashtra Project on Climate Resilient Agriculture (POCRA) Phase II, with a USD 490 million loan, promotes precision farming for smallholder farmers to improve nutrient management, soil health, and water use.
  • POISE covers 13 lakh primary students, over 22 lakh secondary students, and about 59 lakh children in early childhood education.
  • POCRA Phase II targets more than 20 lakh farmers, including 2.9 lakh women, aiming to increase incomes by around 30% over 21 districts.

Source: BW

2. BHIM App Launches UPI Circle Full Delegation Feature

• What:
  • NPCI BHIM Services Limited (NBSL) introduced UPI Circle Full Delegation on the BHIM Payments App, allowing primary users to authorise trusted contacts to make UPI payments up to Rs 15,000 on a monthly basis.
• Why:
  • This feature aims to simplify shared financial management and provide safe, parent-controlled digital payment access for senior citizens and young adults.
• Tell me more:
  • Primary users can authorise secondary users to make payments directly from their account with a monthly limit up to Rs 15,000 and a validity period up to 5 years.
  • It supports families, dependents, and small business staff by enabling secure payments without needing separate UPI IDs or bank accounts.
  • Senior citizens hesitant about digital payments and young adults can benefit from trusted, controlled payment access.
  • Small business owners can delegate operational expense payments while maintaining transparency and accountability.

Source: ET

3. Paytm Payments Services Gets RBI Approval as Payment Aggregator

• What:
  • Paytm Payments Services Limited (PPSL), a subsidiary of One97 Communications, received the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Certificate of Authorization (COA) to operate as a payment aggregator.
• Why:
  • The approval enables PPSL to legally operate as an online payment aggregator after complying with RBI guidelines and foreign direct investment (FDI) rules.
• Tell me more:
  • RBI granted in-principle approval to PPSL in August 2025 and removed restrictions on onboarding new merchants imposed in November 2022.
  • PPSL first applied for the payment aggregator license in November 2020 but was asked to resubmit in November 2022 to comply with Press Note 3 under FDI rules.
  • The company’s regulatory compliance allowed the RBI to grant the COA on November 26, 2025.

Source: BS

4. CBDT Launches Second NUDGE Campaign for Foreign Asset Disclosure

• What:
  • Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) is sending SMS and emails from 28th November 2025 to taxpayers with high-risk cases of unreported foreign assets, asking them to revise their Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for AY 2025-26 by 31st December 2025.
• Why:
  • The campaign aims to ensure accurate and complete reporting of foreign assets and income in ITRs to comply with the Income-tax Act, 1961, and the Black Money and Imposition of Tax Act, 2015.
• Tell me more:
  • This is the second “Non-intrusive Usage of Data to Guide and Enable (NUDGE)” initiative by CBDT, following a first successful campaign in 2024 that led to disclosures of ₹29,208 crore in foreign assets by 24,678 taxpayers.
  • CBDT uses advanced data analytics and the Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) system to identify discrepancies in foreign asset reporting.
  • Information is received under Common Reporting Standards (CRS) and the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) from international partners.
  • The PRUDENT approach of CBDT focuses on professional, responsible, data-based, and technology-driven tax administration with empathy and taxpayer-centric compliance nudges.

Source: PIB

Reports and Indices

1. UN’s World Urbanization Prospects Report 2025

• What:
  • Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, is the most densely populated urban area with almost 42 million people, according to the United Nations (UN) 2025 report.
• Why:
  • The report highlights rapid population growth and urbanization trends that have changed city rankings globally over 25 years.
• Tell me more:
  • Dhaka, Bangladesh, follows Jakarta with nearly 37 million residents, and Tokyo, Japan, ranks third with 33 million.
  • Tokyo was the largest city in the 2018 UN report but dropped due to slower population growth compared to Jakarta and Dhaka.
  • The UN predicts Dhaka will become the largest city by 2050.
  • Over half of the world’s 8.2 billion people now live in cities, up from 20% in 1950.
  • Megacities are urban areas with over 10 million people and are increasing worldwide.

Source: ET

GDP Forecasts

1. India’s Economy to Grow at 6.6% in 2025–26, Says IMF

• What:
  • The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects India’s economy to grow by 6.6% in the fiscal year 2025-26.
• Why:
  • Growth is supported by reforms like the Goods and Services Tax (GST) which cushion the economy from global trade shocks.
• Tell me more:
  • India’s real GDP grew 6.5% in 2024-25 and expanded 7.8% in the first quarter of 2025-26.
  • The $5-trillion economy target has been delayed from 2024-25 to beyond 2027-28 due to slower nominal GDP and rupee depreciation.
  • India is expected to cross $4 trillion in GDP in 2026 and $5.46 trillion in 2029, surpassing Japan to become the fourth-largest economy this year.

Source: NOA IE

Defence News

1. Paras Defence Signs Technology Transfer Deal with DRDO

• What:
  • Paras Defence and Space Technologies signed a licensing agreement with the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) for the transfer of technology of the Driver Night Sight (DNS) system used in T-90 tanks.
• Why:
  • The agreement aims to enable Paras Defence to manufacture advanced defence technology components for enhanced military capabilities.
• Tell me more:
  • Paras Defence is involved in designing, developing, manufacturing, and testing defence and space engineering products.
  • The company operates in four main segments: defence & space optics, defence electronics, heavy engineering, and electromagnetic pulse protection solutions.
  • The Driver Night Sight system technology applies specifically to T-90 tanks used by the Indian defence forces.

Source: BS

Science and Technology

1. MapmyIndia Partners Zoho; WazirX Launches Zero Fee Trading

• What:
  • MapmyIndia Mappls partnered with Zoho to integrate mapping tools in Zoho CRM (Customer Relationship Management), while WazirX launched WazirX Zero trading model with Rs 99 monthly fee instead of per-trade charges.
• Why:
  • The integrations aim to provide location-aware business decisions for Zoho users and eliminate trading fee barriers for frequent cryptocurrency traders on WazirX.
• Tell me more:
  • MapmyIndia’s Address Capture and Nearby Lead Finder enable verified address capture, customer location visualization, nearby lead discovery, and sales route optimization in Zoho CRM.
  • WazirX Zero allows unlimited trading across over 300 tokens with a fixed Rs 99 monthly charge, becoming the default model on the platform.
  • Zoho integration combines business intelligence with spatial intelligence for field teams to serve customers better.

Source: ET

2. Indian Scientists Develop AI Tool ‘OncoMark’ to Decode Cancer

• What:
  • Indian scientists created OncoMark, an artificial intelligence (AI) framework that analyses cancer at a molecular level to improve diagnosis and treatment.
• Why:
  • OncoMark aims to capture hidden biological activities in cancer that traditional staging systems miss, for more precise treatment.
• Tell me more:
  • Developed by S N Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences and Ashoka University under the Department of Science and Technology (DST).
  • The model was trained on 3.1 million single cells from 14 cancer types and produced synthetic “pseudo-biopsies” showing tumor states.

Source: DD

Agriculture and Rural Development

1. MoA&FW Released First Advanced Estimates of Kharif Crop Production for 2025-26

• What:
  • First advanced estimates show a record growth in Kharif crop production with total food grain production expected to increase by 3.87 million tonnes to 173.33 million tonnes.
• Why:
  • Good monsoon rains in most areas boosted crop growth despite localized excessive rainfall affecting some regions.
• Tell me more:

Source: PIB NOA

Awards

1. Camikara Becomes First Indian Rum to Win ‘Global Brand of the Year’

• What:
  • Camikara became the first Indian rum to win ‘Rum Brand of the Year’ at The Spirits Business Awards 2025 in London.
• Tell me more:
  • Camikara is produced by Piccadily Agro Industries Ltd and is India’s first pure cane-juice aged rum.
  • The Spirits Business Awards is a prestigious international competition in the spirits industry.
  • Camikara’s recognition puts Indian rum-making on the global map as a pioneer in its category.

Source: HBL

2. Goa CM Releases Commemorative Stamp Honouring Filmmaker K Vaikunth at IFFI 56

• A commemorative postal stamp was released to mark the birth centenary of legendary Goan cinematographer Shri K. Vaikunth at the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
• The stamp honours Shri Vaikunth’s extraordinary contribution to Indian cinema and his legacy as a master visual storyteller.

Source: PIB

Important Days

1. World Sustainable Transport Day 2025 – November 26

Source: UN

Sports

1. India Achieves Best Medal Haul at Deaflympics 2025

• What:
  • A total of 73 Indian athletes competed in 11 sports at the Deaflympics 2025 in Tokyo, winning 20 medals, including nine golds, seven silvers, and four bronzes.
• Why:
  • The participation and success highlight India’s growing strength in sports for deaf athletes and aim to promote inclusivity and excellence in international competitions.
• Tell me more:
  • Shooting was India’s strongest sport with 16 medals won, including world records by Dhanush Srikanth, Anuya Prasad, Abhinav Deshwal, and Pranjali Dhumal.
  • Olympian Diksha Dagar defended her women’s golf title with a significant lead.
  • Loma Swain won India’s first-ever Deaflympics medal in karate.
  • India finished sixth in the medals table, surpassing their previous best of 16 medals in 2022.

Source: OC

2. Asian Paints Becomes Official Colour Partner of India Cricket

• What:
  • Asian Paints signed a three-year partnership with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as the Official Colour Partner for all men’s, women’s, and domestic home cricket series.
• Why:
  • The partnership aims to strengthen Asian Paints’ presence in Indian homes by leveraging cricket’s wide reach and connecting through the theme of colour.
• Tell me more:
  • The deal covers over 110 matches and includes innovative activities like the Asian Paints Colour Cam and Colour Countdown segment integrated into broadcasts.

Source: ET

3. Uzbek Javokhir Sindarov Wins FIDE World Cup 2025

• What:
  • Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan won the FIDE World Cup title in Goa by defeating Wei Yi of China in the 15-minute tiebreak games.
• Tell me more:
  • Sindarov became the first Uzbek to reach the Candidates after regaining Elo 2700 with guidance from coaches IM Roman Vidonyak, Rustam Kasimdzhanov, and Vladimir Kramnik.
  • Sindarov etched his name on the Viswanathan Anand Cup debuting this edition.

Source: TOI

4. Giovanna De Sequeira Wins Bronze for India at World Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2025

• Giovanna de Sequeira won the bronze medal in the below 28kg Infant/Girls Gi category at the World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship held in Abu Dhabi.
• The de Sequeira family is becoming a notable name in the global martial arts community.

Source: TOI

5. India Registers Heaviest Test Defeat vs South Africa: 408-Run Margin

• What:
  • The Indian cricket team lost to South Africa by 408 runs at Guwahati, marking its heaviest home defeat by runs margin.
• Why:
  • The defeat completed a 0-2 series whitewash by South Africa in the two-match Test series held in India.
• Tell me more:
  • India was chasing a target of 549 runs but scored only 140 runs in 64 overs, with Ravindra Jadeja top-scoring at 54.
  • This 408-run loss surpasses India’s previous biggest home defeat by 342 runs against Australia in 2004 at Nagpur.
  • Other big losses include a 341-run defeat to Pakistan in Karachi in 2006 and a 337-run loss to Australia at Melbourne in 2007.

Source: IE

Miscellaneous

1. Legendary Bharatanatyam Artiste Kamala Lakshminarayanan Passes Away

• Kamala Lakshminarayanan, also known as Baby Kamala and Kumari Kamala, a legendary Bharatanatyam artiste, passed away in California at the age of 91.

Source: TH

2. Sri Lanka Faces Severe Flooding Due to Cyclone Ditwah

• Sigiriya area is known for its Ramayana heritage sites.
• Multiple major rivers including Mahaweli, the longest river in Sri Lanka, are affected.

Source: IT

Start Quiz of 28th November 2025 on Mobile

Start Quiz of 28th November 2025 on Desktop