Daily Current Affairs: 11th November, 2025

National News

India’s Unemployment Rate Drops to 5.2% in Q2 of 2025

• India’s unemployment rate declined to 5.2% in Q2 2025 (July–September) from 5.4% in Q1, indicating gradual improvement in employment across urban and rural sectors.
• Rural unemployment stood at 4.4% while urban unemployment remained higher at 6.9%. Female labour participation slightly rose to 33.7%, and the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) increased to 55.1%, reflecting growing workforce engagement.
• Positive trends are driven by government schemes, post-pandemic recovery, seasonal employment, and gig economy opportunities, though urban unemployment and low female participation remain challenges.

State News

Assam Passed Bill to Ban Polygamy In The State

• The Assam government has approved the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill 2025, criminalising marrying another person while a first marriage subsists, with offenders facing up to 7 years imprisonment.
• The Bill also proposes a compensation fund for affected women and aims to strengthen women’s rights and legal uniformity in marriage practices. Exemptions include Scheduled Tribes, Sixth Schedule areas, and certain minority marriages before 2005.
• The Bill will be tabled in the Assembly on 25 November 2025, potentially setting a precedent for other states.

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi to Be Redeveloped as Sports City

• Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (JLN), Delhi is set to be redeveloped into a 102-acre Sports City featuring modern multi-sport facilities, athlete accommodation, training, and recovery centers.
• The plan aims to create a world-class, integrated sports ecosystem inspired by international models from Qatar and Australia.
• The project is currently at the proposal stage, with timeline, cost, and phased implementation plans under evaluation. Benefits include enhanced athlete development and improved public access to sports and recreation.

International News

India‑Angola Sign MoUs to Strengthen Trade & Marine Sector

• India and Angola signed MoUs on Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Consular Cooperation during President Droupadi Murmu’s first-ever state visit to Angola on 10 November 2025, marking a major step in expanding bilateral trade and marine sector collaboration.
• The agreements aim to promote sustainable marine management, technology exchange, and improved visa and consular services.
• The visit signifies a shift from energy-focused ties to diversified cooperation in agriculture, health, defence, and infrastructure, enhancing economic resilience and sustainability.
• Angola also joined India-led global initiatives—IBCA and GBA— showcasing shared commitment to green diplomacy.
• The MoUs will boost employment, trade, investment, and people-to-people ties, strengthening India’s strategic presence in Africa.

India Quietly Withdraws from Ayni Airbase in Tajikistan

• India has quietly withdrawn from its only overseas military base, the Ayni Airbase in Tajikistan, marking a shift in its Central Asian strategy.
• Operational since 2002 with upgrades including a 3,200-metre runway and fighter jet facilities, the base offered India strategic reach near Afghanistan, PoK, and China’s Xinjiang.
• The closure in 2022 was due to lease non-renewal, reportedly under Russian and Chinese pressure, reducing India’s overseas military footprint and reflecting growing regional influence of China and Russia.

Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais Becomes First Woman to Lead UN Tourism

• Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais has become the first woman to lead UN Tourism, breaking a 50-year precedent since the organisation’s founding in 1975.
• Confirmed at the 123rd UN Tourism Executive Council session in Spain and taking office in January 2026 for a four-year term, she brings 16+ years of expertise in tourism, corporate governance, and strategic development.
• Her Five-Pillar Vision emphasizes responsible tourism, digital innovation, sustainable financing, youth & women empowerment, and transparent governance, marking a historic step for gender equality and global sustainable tourism.

India‑Vietnam Agree to Joint Submarine Rescue Support: What It Means

• India and Vietnam have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on Mutual Submarine Search and Rescue Support during the 15th India–Vietnam Defence Policy Dialogue held in Hanoi (November 2025).
• The pact ensures joint response to submarine emergencies, including coordinated search and rescue, technical support, and shared training protocols.
• A Letter of Intent (LoI) was also signed to enhance defence industry collaboration through technology sharing and potential joint development.

Bangladesh Becomes First South Asian Nation to Join UN Water Convention

• Bangladesh has become the first South Asian country to join the UN Water Convention (2025), marking a major step in transboundary water governance and potentially influencing its bilateral water-sharing relations with India.
• The Convention, adopted in 1992 (Helsinki) and effective since 1996, provides a legal framework for equitable and sustainable management of shared water resources.
• Bangladesh’s move, driven by delays in the Teesta water-sharing agreement and growing upstream challenges, gives it access to international mechanisms for cooperation and dispute resolution.
• Meanwhile, India, not a signatory, continues to prefer bilateral treaties like the Indus (1960) and Ganga (1996) accords.

Banking News

NPCI International, BENEFIT Partner to Enable Cross-Border Payments

• NPCI International has partnered with Bahrain’s BENEFIT to link India’s UPI with Fawri+, enabling instant, secure cross-border remittances, especially for the large Indian community in Bahrain (~30%).
• Simultaneously, NBBL and CCIL launched forex services on Bharat Connect, allowing retail forex transactions, card reloads, and outward remittances through integrated apps.
• These initiatives enhance digital payments, financial inclusion, and India’s global fintech leadership.

Appointments News

Rakshit Hargave Named CEO and Executive Director of Britannia Industries

Defense News

India–Sri Lanka Begin Joint Military Exercise Mitra Shakti 2025

• India–Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise “Mitra Shakti XI – 2025” began at Belagavi, Karnataka, on 10 November 2025 and will continue till 23 November 2025.
• The exercise involves 170 Indian troops (RAJPUT Regiment) and 135 Sri Lankan troops (GAJABA Regiment), along with air force participation.
• The drill aims to enhance joint counter-terrorism operations under the UN Chapter VII Mandate, focusing on sub-conventional warfare, drone and anti-drone use, heliborne operations, and casualty evacuation. It also includes Army Martial Arts (AMAR), combat shooting, and Yoga.
• The exercise promotes interoperability, defence cooperation, and bilateral relations between India and Sri Lanka.

Ranks & Reports News

India Shines: Mumbai and Delhi Make World’s Billionaire City List

Summits & Conferences News

2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit Scheduled In Delhi

• The 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit will be held in New Delhi from December 17–19, 2025, co-hosted by WHO and Ministry of AYUSH, focusing on “Restoring Balance: The Science and Practice of Health and Well-being”.
• The summit aims to promote evidence-based integrative medicine, global health dialogue, policy support for UHC and SDGs, and sustainable healthcare practices, with approx. 7,000 participants joining through hybrid model.

Science & Technology News

IN-SPACe, SIDBI Launch ₹1,000-Crore Venture Capital Fund

• IN-SPACe, in partnership with SIDBI Venture Capital Limited (SVCL), has launched a ₹1,000-crore Venture Capital Fund to boost India’s private space ecosystem, providing early-stage and growth capital to startups in launch technologies, satellites, payloads, and downstream applications.
• Approved by SEBI and the Union Cabinet (Oct 2024), the fund—managed by SVCL—aims to drive innovation, indigenization, and global competitiveness in the space sector, aligning with India’s vision of becoming a leading hub for sustainable and affordable space solutions.

Important Days News

National Education Day 2025: A Tribute to India’s Pioneer of Learning and Unity

• National Education Day is observed every year on November 11 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, India’s first Education Minister and a key architect of the nation’s modern education system.
• First celebrated in 2008, the day honors his contributions to educational reforms, literacy, and nation-building.
• Azad established key institutions like UGC, IITs, IISc, AICTE, and cultural academies, emphasizing inclusive and quality education as the foundation of progress. In 1992, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna.
• The observance promotes debates, workshops, and awareness activities nationwide to reaffirm the right to education for all.