Daily Current Affairs: 6th November, 2025

National News

India Exports Fortified Rice from Chhattisgarh to PNG

• APEDA facilitates export of 20 MT fortified rice from Chhattisgarh to Papua New Guinea, highlighting India’s push for nutrition-focused agri-exports. Fortified rice, enriched with iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12, addresses malnutrition while boosting global food security.
• The initiative, led by M/s Sponge Enterprises and supported by APEDA and Chhattisgarh government, strengthens the state’s role in value-added agricultural exports and positions India as a reliable supplier of fortified food.

State News

KSLU Confers Honorary Doctorate on AP Governor Abdul Nazeer

• Andhra Pradesh Governor S Abdul Nazeer was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) by Karnataka State Law University (KSLU) during its 7th convocation in Dharwad.
• The prestigious award recognizes Nazeer’s significant contributions to the legal field, particularly his tenure as a Supreme Court Judge and his advocacy for constitutional values, legal ethics, and access to justice.
• The ceremony was presided over by Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, with senior political and legal dignitaries in attendance.

Maharashtra Becomes First Indian State to Tie-Up with Starlink

• Maharashtra becomes the first Indian state to partner with Starlink to provide satellite-based internet in remote and underserved regions like Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Washim, and Dharashiv.
• The collaboration, under the Digital Maharashtra mission, aims to enhance rural connectivity, support e-governance, telemedicine, smart agriculture, and strengthen disaster response, leveraging Starlink’s LEO satellite broadband for reliable, high-speed internet in challenging terrains.

International News

Indian-Origin Hashmi Elected Virginia’s Lt. Governor

• Indian-origin Ghazala Hashmi elected Virginia Lieutenant Governor, making history as the first Muslim and first South Asian American to hold the post.
• The Democrat secured 1,465,634 votes (54.2%), defeating Republican John Reid. A former Virginia State Senator and educator,
• Hashmi has championed public education, voting rights, reproductive freedom, healthcare, housing, and environmental justice.
• Her victory, supported by the Indian American Impact Fund, marks a landmark moment for diversity, inclusion, and political representation in Virginia.

Kartik Naach Festival Concludes at Patan Durbar Square

• Nepal’s Kartik Naach Festival, a centuries-old 10-day celebration of art, devotion, and heritage, concluded on Kartik Purnima at Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur.
• Established in the 17th century by King Siddhinarsingh Malla, this UNESCO-recognized tradition blends dance, music, and drama to depict Hindu mythological tales, particularly from the Ramayana.
• This year’s edition also featured an international painting exhibition at the Patan Museum, linking global art with local culture and children’s welfare.
• The festival strengthens Nepal’s cultural identity, boosts tourism, and highlights community efforts to preserve one of South Asia’s oldest living performance traditions.

Banking News

PSU Banks Clock ₹49,456 Cr Profit in Q2 FY26

• Public Sector Banks (PSBs) post ₹49,456 crore profit in Q2 FY26, up 9% YoY, with State Bank of India (SBI) contributing 40% of total earnings.
• Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) led growth with a 58% surge, while Bank of Baroda and Union Bank of India saw declines of 8% and 10%, respectively.
• The H1 FY26 cumulative profit reached ₹93,674 crore, marking the first time PSBs crossed ₹90,000 crore in half-year earnings, reflecting improved asset quality, operational efficiency, and robust banking performance.

Jan Dhan Account Balances Cross ₹2.75 Lakh Crore in 2025

• India’s Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) deposits have crossed ₹2.75 lakh crore as of October 2025, covering 56.85 crore beneficiaries, marking a milestone in financial inclusion.
• The surge, led by public sector banks (₹2.15 lakh crore), reflects the success of the Financial Inclusion Saturation Programme, which reactivated millions of dormant accounts through re-KYC drives and direct benefit transfers (DBTs).
• The initiative continues to strengthen India’s inclusive banking ecosystem, ensuring broader access to formal financial services across rural and underbanked regions.

Appointment News

Paradeep Phosphates Signs Rahul Dravid as Brand Ambassador

• Paradeep Phosphates appoints Rahul Dravid as Brand Ambassador to promote sustainable farming and balanced fertiliser use.
• Launched on 5 November 2025, the collaboration includes campaigns like “Kheti Ka Game Changer” and “NPK and Organic Fertilisers Ki Winning Team”, using cricket metaphors to educate farmers on nutrient management.
• The initiative aims to improve soil health, boost crop yields, and empower farmers, aligning with national goals for sustainable agriculture and programs like NMSA and PM-PRANAM.

Awards News

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Named World Leader for Peace and Security 2025

• Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the renowned spiritual leader and founder of the Art of Living Foundation, has been awarded the World Leader for Peace and Security Award 2025 by the Boston Global Forum (BGF) and the AI World Society (AIWS).
• The award, presented on November 3, 2025, acknowledges Gurudev’s global impact on peace-building, humanitarian leadership, and the integration of spirituality in governance.
• His efforts in conflict mediation across regions like Colombia, Iraq, and Kashmir, along with his promotion of peace education and sustainable social reform, earned him this prestigious recognition.
• The Art of Living Foundation, founded in 1981, continues to influence global peace through initiatives such as prison rehabilitation, river restoration, and mental health programs, making peace a tangible reality across 180 countries.

Defense News

Indian Navy To Commission ‘Ikshak’ for Hydrographic Excellence

• The Indian Navy will commission SVL Ikshak on 6 November 2025 at Naval Base Kochi, enhancing India’s hydrographic and maritime capabilities under Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• Built by GRSE Kolkata with over 80% indigenous content, Ikshak, the third Survey Vessel (Large) and first at Southern Naval Command, is equipped with multi-beam echo sounders, AUVs, ROVs, survey motor boats, and a helicopter deck.
• The ship will support coastal and deep-sea surveys, navigational safety, port development, maritime security, and disaster response, reflecting India’s focus on self-reliance in defence and technological excellence in the naval sector.

Ranks & Reports News

India Climbs to Third in Global Clean Industry Pipeline

• India ranks 3rd globally in the clean industry pipeline with 65 low-emission projects worth $150 billion, targeting sectors like chemicals, steel, cement, aluminium, and aviation.
• Despite high CO₂ abatement (160–175 MT/year) and job creation potential (~2 lakh), only six projects have reached the investment stage, concentrated in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu, highlighting execution and scaling challenges.

India’s Top 1% Wealth Share Rose 62% Since 2000

• India’s top 1% wealth share rose 62% from 2000–2023, now holding 27% of national wealth, nearly 7 times that of the bottom 50%, according to a G20 inequality report.
• The report highlights stagnant income growth, elite asset accumulation, and urban-rural disparities as drivers, warning of threats to economic stability and social equity, and recommends progressive taxation, universal social protection, and a global International Panel on Inequality to address widening economic disparities.

Science & Technology News

NISAR Set to Go Operational on November 7

• The NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite will be declared fully operational on 7 November 2025, marking a milestone in Indo-US space collaboration and Earth observation.
• Launched on 30 July 2025 via GSLV, NISAR operates in a sun-synchronous orbit with dual L-band (NASA) and S-band (ISRO) radars, scanning the entire planet every 12 days.
• Its advanced capabilities enable all-weather, day-and-night monitoring of soil moisture, forest biomass, ice sheet movement, vegetation, and crop patterns, supporting disaster management, climate monitoring, agriculture, and water resource planning.
• The mission underscores India’s Atmanirbhar space goals and strengthens strategic space diplomacy with the US.

India Unveils AI Governance Framework with ‘Light‑Touch’ Oversight

• India has unveiled its AI Governance Guidelines under the IndiaAI Mission, introducing a “light-touch” regulatory framework to balance innovation and accountability.
• Released by MeitY on 5 November 2025, the framework is built around seven guiding “Sutras”—Trust, People-First, Innovation, Fairness, Accountability, Explainability, and Safety.
• It features a three-tier action plan to boost compute access, indigenous AI models, and Digital Public Infrastructure integration.

Google’s Project Suncatcher Aims to Launch AI Data Centres in Space

• Google’s Project Suncatcher aims to launch AI data centres in space using solar-powered satellites to address the energy and sustainability limits of ground-based AI infrastructure.
• The satellites will house TPUs, rely on continuous solar energy, and use high-speed optical communication for orbit-based AI processing.
• Key challenges include multi-terabit satellite communication, station-keeping, radiation-resistant hardware, and launch logistics.
• If successful, the project promises scalable, low-emission AI computing, disaster-resilient infrastructure, and a strategic edge in the space-based technology race, with prototype launches expected by 2027.

IndQA: OpenAI’s First Cultural Benchmark Begins with Indian Languages

• OpenAI has launched IndQA — a multilingual, culture-sensitive benchmark to test how well AI models understand and reason within Indian languages and contexts.
• Released on November 4, 2025, it covers 2,278 questions across 11 Indian languages and 10 cultural domains such as law, literature, religion, and cuisine.
• Developed with inputs from 261 Indian experts, IndQA uses a rubric-based evaluation system to assess AI accuracy and cultural reasoning.
• Benchmark results showed GPT-5 leading with 34.9%, followed by Gemini 2.5 Pro (34.3%), with top scores in Hindi and Hinglish.

Sports News

FIFA Announces Peace Prize to Debut at 2026 World Cup Draw

• Fifa President Gianni Infantino, a close ally of Donald Trump, has announced the creation of the Fifa Peace Prize, to be awarded annually to individuals promoting global unity through sport.
• The first award will be presented on 5 December 2025 during the World Cup draw in Washington DC, an event Trump is expected to attend.
• Infantino described the initiative — titled “Fifa Peace Prize: Football Unites the World” — as part of football’s moral duty to “recognise those who work to end conflicts and bring people together.”

Important Days News

International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict 2025

• International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict 2025 is observed on November 6 to highlight the urgent need to protect the environment during conflicts.
• Wars cause ecosystem destruction, pollution, deforestation, and water contamination, making the environment a hidden casualty.
• Established by UNGA in 2001 and reinforced by UNEA in 2016, the day promotes peace, sustainability, and environmental justice, aligning with SDGs 6, 13, 15, and 16.
• It calls for global cooperation, accountability, and environmental peacebuilding to safeguard ecosystems even in times of war.