04th November, 2026

1. MoPR Signs MoU with CESL to Promote EV Infrastructure Across Panchayats
2. Union MoS Dr Jitendra Singh Inaugurates 183rd Seismological Observatory in Kishtwar, J&K
3. Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh Announces CoE for Siri Cattle Conservation in Sikkim
4. Fibe Launches UPI Payments Segment After NPCI Grants TPAP Approval
5. Razorpay Receives Final PSP Licence from IFSCA to Operate from GIFT City
6. Ministry of Coal Presents Star Rating Awards for FY25, Recognising 50 Five-Star Coal and Lignite Mines in Raipur, Chhattisgarh
7. CCI Approves Five Major Deals Across Food, Energy, Power, Fintech and Telecom Sectors
8. Australian All-Rounder Glenn Maxwell Retires from International Cricket After 14-Year Career
9. Gopal Vittal Re-Elected GSMA Chair for Second Term Until December 2028
10. Tiger Triumph 2026: India–US Tri-Service HADR Exercise Begins in Visakhapatnam
11. Bihar-Based Women’s Movement Gets Global Recognition at UN SDG Action Awards 2026
12. Prema Rawat Sets Women’s T20 Fastest-Fifty Record: 14-Ball Half-Century
13. Sudhakar Dalela Assumes Charge as Indian Ambassador to Nepal
14. India Showcases Itself as Manufacturing Hub for the Oil and Gas Sector at ADIPEC 2026 in Abu Dhabi
15. Dubai Future District Fund and Buimerc Agree on Strategic Cooperation to Boost India-UAE Innovation Ties
16. India, UAE Discuss Cooperation in Key Sectors and Regional Developments
17. Arunachal Kiwi Enters Dubai to Connect Locals with International Markets
18. Squash: V. Senthilkumar Clinches Second PSA Copper-Level Title at Czech Open
19. 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) Is Taking Place from November 1–4, 2026, in St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda
20. India Aims to Achieve Defence Production Worth Rs 3 Lakh Cr & Defence Exports Worth Rs 50,000 Cr by 2029
21. Indian Army’s New Formations: Ashni, Bhairav and Shaktiban
22. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh Says Modern Warfare Now Extends to Space, Cyber and Digital Domains
23. DRDO Successfully Tests Surface-to-Surface Quasi-Ballistic Missile Pralay from Chandipur in Odisha
24. Aditya-L1 Detects Uneven Expansion of Solar Eruptions
25. PM Modi Lauds India’s Achievement as Fastest Poverty Reducer; Launches Projects Worth 21,800 Cr for Pune Metro
26. Centre Proposes Expansion of Authorised Import Hubs for Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics to Streamline Healthcare Supply Chains
27. Prime Volleyball League Season 5 to Be Held in Ahmedabad from Nov 30
28. India’s Data Centre Capacity Set for 5x Surge by 2030
29. India to Host ICAR-CGIAR Science and Partnership Week in April 2027
30. UP Cabinet Approves Robotics, AI Park in Greater Noida
31. Keisha Lance Bottoms Wins Georgia Race, Becomes First Black Woman Elected Governor of US State
32. INS Sahyadri Concludes India-South Korea Naval Exercise at Busan
33. Sarbananda Sonowal Outlines Plan to Double Coastal, Inland Waterway Freight Share to 12% by 2047
34. Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2026 Begins in New Delhi, Focuses on Science and Technology Cooperation
35. Chhattisgarh Now Naxal-Free, Poised to Become Top Tourism Destination: Amit Shah
36. International Day for Biosphere Reserves 2026 – November 3
37. Overview of COP17 to CBD Held from October 19 to 31, 2026 in Armenia

National News

Ministry of Earth Sciences Plans 100 Seismological Observatories

• What: The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) plans to set up 100 new seismological observatories across India, including four each in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
• Tell me more:
  • India’s 183rd seismological observatory was inaugurated in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir.
  • Growth of the National Seismological Network:

• ‘Bhookamp’ mobile app: It gives real-time earthquake information, along with the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) website.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Seismological observatories monitor and detect earthquakes round the clock.

Health Ministry Proposes More Import Gateways for Drugs

• What: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) proposed amending Rule 43A of the Drugs Rules, 1945, to add more authorised entry points for importing drugs, medical devices and cosmetics.
• Tell me more:
  • Proposed import gateways:

• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Rule 43A, Drugs Rules, 1945: It lists the authorised ports, airports, railway stations, road crossings and other entry points through which drugs can be imported into India.

CGIAR Science and Partnership Week 2027 in New Delhi

• What: India will host the second CGIAR Science and Partnership Week in April 2027 at Yashobhoomi (India International Convention and Expo Centre), New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • Organised by: Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
  • Host: International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
  • Theme: “Science for resilient food, land, and water systems”
  • First edition: Nairobi, Kenya, in April 2025
  • Key people:

• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • CGIAR: It is an international agricultural research partnership of 15 research centres working in more than 100 countries. Ten of its centres work in India, and it has partnered with ICAR for over 50 years.
  • ICAR: It is the apex body for agricultural research and education in India. Formerly the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, it was set up in 1929 and is headquartered in New Delhi. It works under Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
  • ICRISAT: It is an international organisation that works to improve dryland farming. It was set up in 1972 under an agreement between the Government of India and CGIAR.
  • ICRISAT Center of Excellence for South–South Cooperation in Agriculture (ISSCA): It is a global platform in Hyderabad that shares proven farming innovations across the Global South (Asia, Africa and Latin America).
    • It is aligned with India’s DAKSHIN initiative, a government programme for development and knowledge sharing among Global South countries.

Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2026 in New Delhi

• What: The Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2026 (IPRD-2026), the Indian Navy’s annual apex-level international strategic dialogue, began in New Delhi.
• Tell me more:
  • Organised by: The Indian Navy, with its knowledge partner, the National Maritime Foundation (NMF)
  • Theme: “Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific”
  • NMF Chairman: Adm Dinesh K Tripathi (Retd), former Chief of the Naval Staff
  • National Maritime Security Coordinator: VAdm Biswajit Dasgupta (Retd)
  • Monograph released: “Sea Blindness and Maritime Heritage in India” (Monograph means a detailed, well-documented written work on one specific subject.)

State News

Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying Initiatives in Sikkim

• What: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries will set up a Centre of Excellence in Sikkim to conserve and develop the indigenous Siri cattle breed.
• Tell me more:
  • The Siri Cattle Conservation Programme was launched, and the foundation stone of the Siri Bull Mother Farm was laid at Chuchachen in Pakyong district.
  • Under White Revolution 2.0: The North District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd (NDMU) was launched at Mangan. The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has been asked to prepare a plan to modernise the dairy plant, expand the dairy cooperative network and develop an integrated “Sikkim Milk” brand.
  • Pig breeding publication: “Minimum Standard Protocol for Semen Production and Standard Operating Procedures for Artificial Insemination Using Liquid Semen in Pigs” was released. It sets a standard framework for artificial insemination in pigs, especially for the North-Eastern Region, where pig rearing is important for rural livelihoods.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Siri cattle: It is a dual-purpose breed, used for both milk and farm work, that originated in Bhutan and is also found in Sikkim and Darjeeling (West Bengal). It is a threatened breed.

PM Modi Inaugurates Pune Metro Projects Worth ₹21,800 Crore

• What: PM Narendra Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for Pune Metro projects worth about ₹21,800 crore.
• Tell me more:
  • India’s metro network: Nearly 1,200 km across 26 cities and among the top three metro networks in the world
  • Other points from the PM’s address:
    • Urban Challenge Fund: Approved in February 2026 with ₹1 lakh crore in Central assistance to attract urban investment
    • World Bank report: 50 crore Indians were lifted out of extreme poverty in 10–12 years.

Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Approves PRAGATI Park in Greater Noida

• The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved the Platform for Robotics and AI Growth Through Technology and Innovation (PRAGATI) Park in Greater Noida to promote indigenous robotics manufacturing and AI technology development.

Paradip Port Authority to Develop Puri International Cruise Terminal

• What: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced that Paradip Port Authority (PPA), with the Government of Odisha, will develop the Puri International Cruise Terminal at about ₹1,500 crore.
• Tell me more:
  • Government targets:

• Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme: Announced in Budget 2026–27, it will give incentives to cargo owners, coastal vessel operators and multimodal transport operators, who move cargo by more than one mode, such as ship, rail and road.
• Cruise Bharat Mission: Launched in September 2024
• National Waterway 5 (Odisha): It will link the industrial and mining centres of Talcher and Kalinganagar with east coast ports, at a cost of over ₹13,000 crore.

Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav Concludes in Raipur

• What: Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed the concluding ceremony of the Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav in Raipur and said the state has become Naxal-free.
• Tell me more:
  • Formation of Chhattisgarh: 2000, under PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee
  • Cultural initiatives: Chhattisgarh Pandum and Bastar Olympics, which revive the state’s tribal games and folk culture
  • Folk heritage of Chhattisgarh:

International News

28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda

• What: The 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026 is being held in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda.
• Tell me more:
  • Theme: “Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth”
  • CHOGM 2026 Envoy: Sir Vivian Richards, Antigua and Barbuda’s cricketing legend, was appointed to the role.
  • First: For the first time, CHOGM brings together government and business leaders to unlock investment.
  • Commonwealth Secretary-General: Shirley Botchwey. This is the first CHOGM under her, since she took office in April 2025.
  • Commonwealth Investment Platform: The Commonwealth Secretariat unveiled it before the summit. It showcases over 60 projects from 20 Commonwealth countries, worth about US$30 billion in potential investment.
  • Commonwealth Trade Review 2026: The Commonwealth’s combined GDP was US$15.9 trillion in 2025. The review projects it to reach US$16.9 trillion in 2026 and US$20 trillion by 2029.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • CHOGM: It is a meeting of the leaders of the 56 Commonwealth countries. It is held every two years and hosted by member countries in turn.

Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) 2026 in Abu Dhabi

• What: ADIPEC 2026, a global energy industry exhibition, is being held at the ADNEC Centre, Abu Dhabi, UAE, where India is showcasing its oil and gas capabilities through the India Pavilion.
• Tell me more:
  • India Pavilion organised by: Federation of Indian Petroleum Industry (FIPI), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC). It was inaugurated by India’s Ambassador to the UAE, Dr Deepak Mittal.
  • India highlighted Samudra Manthan, its deepwater exploration initiative, and compressed biogas (CBG) made from agricultural and organic waste under its Waste-to-Wealth approach.
• Other India–UAE developments:
  • Dubai Future District Fund (DFDF)–Buimerc: DFDF, Dubai’s venture capital fund-of-funds, and Buimerc Corporation Limited, a Dubai-based investment company with Indian roots, agreed to connect Indian start-ups, investors and fund managers with Dubai’s venture capital ecosystem.
  • Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s UAE visit: He also discussed the proposed House of India with Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism.
  • India–UAE–France Trilateral: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot met on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. They discussed AI, space, health sciences, energy and culture.
  • India’s BRICS Presidency: Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan took part in the BRICS Summit 2026.
  • Dubai Economic Agenda D33: It aims to double the size of Dubai’s economy by 2033 and place it among the world’s leading global cities.
  • Arunachal Pradesh kiwi export: The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) facilitated a trial export of 1.5 MT of kiwi from Ziro town to Dubai.
    • It was done under the branding initiative “Kiwi: USP of Arunachal Pradesh” of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER).
    • The state’s major kiwi varieties are Hayward, Monty, Allison and Bruno, and Hayward is in good demand abroad.
    • APEDA works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Yerevan, Armenia

• What: The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was held in Yerevan, Armenia. It carried out the first global review of progress on the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF).
• Tell me more:
  • Held alongside: The 12th Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CP-MOP-12) and the 6th Meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing (NP-MOP-6)
  • Theme: “Taking action for nature”
  • COP17 President: Hambardzum Matevosyan, Armenia’s Environment Minister
  • Next host: COP18 will be held in Quito, Ecuador, in 2028.
  • Key outcomes:

• Global report: “The state of biodiversity action: The global report on collective progress”, released by the UN before COP17, found the world falling behind on 22 of the 23 KMGBF targets.
• Launches at COP17:
  • Yerevan Declaration, from the leaders’ summit hosted by the presidency
  • Yerevan Platform on Mountain and Freshwater Ecosystems (UNEP)
  • “Nature’s Comeback”, the first-ever Restoration Progress Report (UNEP)
  • “Friends of Target 18”, co-chaired by Colombia and Finland, on reforming subsidies that harm nature
• India’s stand: India proposed removing the paragraph on harmful subsidy reform, and it supported deleting the reference to the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) climate opinion.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • CBD: The CBD opened for signature in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Its COP meets every two years.
  • KMGBF: It is a global nature deal adopted in 2022, called the “Paris Agreement for nature”. It has 23 targets to reverse nature loss by 2030.
    • Target 18: Cut harmful subsidies by at least $500 billion a year by 2030.
    • Target 19: Raise at least $200 billion a year for nature from all sources by 2030.
  • Cali Fund: It was set up at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, as the first global fund for companies that use DSI (genetic data from nature, used in medicines, cosmetics and crops).

Banking and Economy

Fibe Launches UPI Services After NPCI Approval

• What: The digital lending platform Fibe launched Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services on its app after the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) approved it as a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP).
• Tell me more:
  • Fibe MD and Group CEO: Akshay Mehrotra

Razorpay Receives Final PSP Licence from IFSCA

• What: Bengaluru-based fintech Razorpay received a final Payment Service Provider (PSP) licence from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to operate from Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar.
• Tell me more:
  • With this licence, Razorpay can handle payments in foreign currency, such as money Indians invest abroad and money Indian businesses receive from customers in other countries.
  • Banking partners: RBL Bank and ICICI Bank. Through them, investment apps can use Razorpay to let Indians invest in foreign markets.

Competition Commission of India Approves Five Major Deals

• What: The Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved five proposed mergers and acquisitions across the food services, renewable energy, power infrastructure, financial services and telecom sectors.
• Tell me more:

• After this approval, all these proposals require further approvals from different government entities.

Crisil Ratings Projects Five-fold Rise in Data Centre Capacity

• What: Crisil Ratings said in a report that India’s data centre capacity is expected to grow five-fold to about 7.5 gigawatts (GW) by March 2030, attracting investments of over ₹3 lakh crore in the next four financial years.
• Tell me more:
  • Top locations: Nearly three-fourths of the about 6 GW of upcoming capacity will be in Visakhapatnam, Mumbai and Hyderabad.
  • Cost advantage: India’s development costs are about 20% lower than in several competing Asia-Pacific markets, and its rentals are 30–35% lower than in peer markets.

Defence News

India–US Exercise Tiger Triumph 2026 in Visakhapatnam

• What: The fifth edition of the India–US bilateral tri-service Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise, Tiger Triumph 2026, began at the Maritime Warfare Centre (MWC), Visakhapatnam.
• Tell me more:
  • Format this year: Tabletop Exercise (TTX)
  • First-time participant: National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)
  • Started in: 2019. The first edition, held at Visakhapatnam and Kakinada, was India’s first tri-service exercise with the US.
  • Apart from Tiger Triumph, India’s only other tri-service exercise is INDRA, held with Russia.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Other India–US exercises:

Rajnath Singh Sets 2029 Defence Production and Export Targets

• What: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India aims to reach defence production of ₹3 lakh crore and defence exports of ₹50,000 crore by 2029. He said this at the Defence Ministry’s Consultative Committee meeting in Jaisalmer.
• Tell me more:

• Defence budget 2026–27: A record ₹7.85 lakh crore, including a capital outlay of ₹2.19 lakh crore

Indian Army’s New Formations: Ashni, Bhairav and Shaktiban

• What: The Indian Army has formed new ‘Asani’, ‘Bhairav’ and ‘Shaktiban’ platoons to suit the needs of modern warfare. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said this at the Defence Ministry’s Consultative Committee meeting on “Modernisation of Indian Defence Forces” in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
• Tell me more:

DRDO Test-Fires Pralay Quasi-Ballistic Missile off Odisha

• What: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired its indigenous quasi-ballistic missile Pralay off the Odisha coast.
• Tell me more:
  • Type: Short-range, solid-fuelled, surface-to-surface tactical missile
  • Range: 150–500 km
  • Quasi-ballistic: Unlike ballistic missiles, which follow a fixed path, it can fly low and change direction mid-flight, so enemy air defence systems find it hard to intercept.
  • Developed by: Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Hyderabad, with other DRDO laboratories, under Project Pralay, approved in 2015
  • Development-cum-production partners: Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)
  • Pralay is planned to be part of India’s proposed Integrated Rocket Force, along with BrahMos, Nirbhay and Pinaka.

Indian Navy–Republic of Korea Navy Bilateral Exercise at Busan

Science and Technology

Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bengaluru Studies Solar Eruption with Aditya-L1

• What: Scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, used ISRO’s Aditya-L1, India’s first space-based solar observatory, to find that a solar eruption expanded unevenly near the Sun, not as a symmetric bubble as earlier thought.
• Tell me more:
  • IIA: An autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST)
  • Instrument used: Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) on Aditya-L1, developed by IIA with ISRO’s support. The team also used images from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO).
  • Published in: The Astrophysical Journal Letters
  • Aditya-L1: It is India’s first space-based mission to study the Sun.
    • Launched: 2023, from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, on Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-XL)
    • Orbit: Halo orbit around Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun–Earth system, about 1.5 million km from Earth. From there it can watch the Sun continuously without eclipses.
    • Payloads: Seven in total. Four observe the Sun directly (remote sensing) and three study particles and fields at L1 (in-situ).
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Coronal mass ejection (CME): It is a massive burst of hot, magnetised plasma from the Sun’s outer atmosphere (corona). CMEs directed at Earth can affect satellites and communication.
  • The “solar eruption”, in this news, is a CME. A CME’s shape can change its speed as it travels towards Earth, so this finding helps predict space weather.

Awards

Ministry of Coal Star Rating Awards 2024–25 Held in Raipur

• What: The Ministry of Coal held the Annual Star Rating Awards Ceremony for FY 2024–25 in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, for coal and lignite mines.
• Tell me more:
  • A total of 50 coal mines received Five-Star Ratings.
  • Award winners:

• Hackathon on R&D 2026: Its winners were also awarded at the ceremony. The theme was “NextGen AI for Smart Mining”.
  

• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Star Rating Programme: It is the Ministry of Coal’s rating program for mines on safety, environmental management, scientific mining practices, productivity and community welfare.

UN SDG Action Award 2026 (9th Edition) Held in Rome

• What: The UN SDG Action Award is given by the UN SDG Action Campaign, a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• Tell me more:
  • Winners of the UN SDG Action Awards 2026:

• India’s Winner:
  • Directed by Vandana R Jayakumar and produced by Butterfly Effect Media, the film is about Bihar’s women-led Shikshagraha movement to keep girls in school and stop child marriage.
  • Shiksha Chaupals: Under the movement, mothers and community members meet at these gatherings to discuss barriers to girls’ education and pledge to prevent school dropouts and child marriage.
  • Other honours for the film:

Important Days

International Day for Biosphere Reserves 2026 – November 3

Sports

Prema Rawat Scores Fastest Fifty in Women’s T20

• What: India’s Prema Rawat scored the fastest fifty in women’s T20 cricket, off 14 balls, for Uttarakhand against Hyderabad in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy 2026 at the MCA Cricket Stadium, Pune.
• Tell me more:
  • Previous record: 15 balls, jointly held by Marie Kelly (England), Laura Harris (Australia) and Fatima Sana (Pakistan captain)
  • Rawat plays for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Fastest fifty in men’s T20 cricket: Dipendra Singh Airee (Nepal), ahead of India’s Yuvraj Singh

Czech Open Squash Tournament in Brno

• What: India’s Velavan Senthilkumar won the USD 35,000 Czech Open, a Professional Squash Association (PSA) Copper-level tournament, in Brno.
• Tell me more:
  • It is his second PSA Copper-level title, after the Budapest Open.
  • The PSA World Tour sorts squash tournaments into levels (tiers) by their size and importance. Copper is one of the lower levels.

Prime Volleyball League Season 5 in Ahmedabad

• What: The fifth season of the Prime Volleyball League (PVL) will be held at the Veer Savarkar Sports Complex, Ahmedabad.
• Tell me more:
  • FIVB recognition: Earlier this year, the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB; HQ: Lausanne, Switzerland) recognised PVL as India’s first division professional volleyball league.
  • Defending champions: Bengaluru Torpedoes

Glenn Maxwell Retires from International Cricket

• Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell (38) retired from international cricket after a 14-year career. His nickname is “Big Show”.

Memorandum of Understanding

Ministry of Panchayati Raj Signed MoU with CESL

• What: The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) signed an MoU with Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) to set up Electric Vehicle (EV) charging and battery swapping stations on Panchayat land across India.
• Tell me more:
  • Under the MoU, signed at the National Workshop on the People’s Plan Campaign 2026–27 in New Delhi, CESL will set up and run the stations, and MoPR will help states find sites.
  • CESL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under the Ministry of Power.
• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Model Panchayat Tax, Rates and Fees Rules (Model OSR Rules): It is a framework recently released by MoPR for transparent, accountable and locally driven revenue raising by Panchayats.
  • OSR: Own Source Revenue

Appointments

GSMA Re-elects Gopal Vittal as Board Chair

• What: The GSMA Board of Directors re-elected Gopal Vittal, Executive Vice-Chairman of Bharti Airtel, as its Chair for a second term, up to December 2028.
• Tell me more:
  • Gopal Vittal is also the non-executive chair of Airtel Africa and of Airtel Payments Bank.
  • Other Appointments:

• Knowledge Nuggets:
  • Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA): It is a global telecom industry body that represents mobile network operators and companies across the mobile ecosystem.
  • GSMA Global HQ: London, United Kingdom

Sudhakar Dalela Appointed Indian Ambassador to Nepal

Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms Elected Governor of Georgia, US

• Firsts: She is the first woman and the first Black person elected Governor of Georgia, and the first Black woman governor in US history.

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