Daily Current Affairs: 5th November, 2025

National News

India Exports Fortified Rice to Costa Rica

• The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) has facilitated the first export of 12 metric tonnes of Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK) from Chhattisgarh to Costa Rica, marking a major milestone in India’s agri-export and nutrition mission.
• The initiative aligns with PM Narendra Modi’s “Kuposhan Mukt Bharat” under Poshan Abhiyan, linking India’s domestic nutrition goals with global outreach.
• Produced by blending rice flour with iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12, FRK enhances food nutrition and showcases India’s technological strength in food fortification.

India Sends Humanitarian Aid to Jamaica and Cuba

• India has dispatched 20 tonnes of humanitarian relief each to Jamaica and Cuba following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, reaffirming its commitment to Global South solidarity.
• The Indian Air Force carried the consignment from New Delhi on 4 November 2025, including Aarogya Maitri BHISHM Cubes, medicines, food, shelter materials, power generators, and hygiene kits.
• The aid addresses key post-disaster needs—health, shelter, and utilities—and highlights India’s growing humanitarian and disaster-response capability, reinforcing its image as a reliable global aid partner.

India to Import Eight More Cheetahs from Botswana

• India plans to import eight cheetahs from Botswana by December 2025 under Project Cheetah, aiming to reintroduce the species to its historical range at Kuno-Palpur National Park, Madhya Pradesh.
• The country currently has 27 cheetahs, including 16 born locally, but past imports from Namibia and South Africa faced climatic adaptation challenges causing some deaths.
• Despite this, the project is hailed as a “big success” for restoring grassland ecosystems and conserving wildlife.

India‑UK Launch Their Science & Technology Partnership Dashboard

• Ajay Kumar Sood and David Warren Smith unveiled the pilot IN-UK-STP Dashboard in New Delhi, covering 143 bilateral science and technology projects between India and the UK.
• Developed jointly by the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor and the British High Commission, the dashboard maps funding, implementing partners, and agencies, aiming to help decision-makers identify gaps, align priorities, and track the evolution of the partnership for lasting societal impact.

Telangana Establishes Artificial Intelligence Innovation Hub

• The Government of Telangana has announced the creation of the Telangana Artificial Intelligence Innovation Hub (TAIH) in Hyderabad, led by IT & Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu, to make the state a global AI leader and rank among the top 20 AI hubs by 2035.
• The hub will unite research institutions (like IIT Hyderabad, ISB, BITS Pilani, NALSAR, C-DAC) with tech giants (Google, Microsoft, Infosys, Amazon) to drive AI research, innovation, and talent development.

Zohran Mamdani Elected Mayor of New York City

• Zohran Mamdani was elected Mayor of New York City on 4 November 2025, becoming the city’s first Muslim mayor, the first person of South Asian descent to hold the office, and the youngest mayor in over a century.
• Born in Uganda and raised in New York, Mamdani previously served in the New York State Assembly.

Banking News

NaBFID to Transform into Global Infrastructure Bank

• The Indian government plans to reposition the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID), established in 2021, as a global financial institution, renaming it the Infrastructure Development Bank (IDB).
• This move reflects ambitions to expand beyond domestic infrastructure financing, aligning with international peers like the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and International Finance Corporation (IFC).
• As a 100% government-owned DFI and All-India Financial Institution (AIFI), NaBFID/IDB’s mandate includes long-term project financing, refinancing infrastructure debt, and mobilising private investment.

Appointments News

Sanjay Garg Takes Charge as Director General of BIS

• Sanjay Garg, with over 30 years of administrative experience in agriculture, defence, industry, and finance, has been appointed Director General of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).
• Previously serving as Secretary, ICAR, and Additional Secretary, DARE, he led key digital initiatives like the “Kisan Sarathi” portal and managed World Bank–funded projects.
• As DG, he will guide India’s standards ecosystem to support Make in India, export competitiveness, and global standards alignment, while representing India in international standardisation bodies such as the IEC.

Defense News

India-Israel MoU Marks New Chapter in Defence Ties

• India and Israel have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the 17th Joint Working Group (JWG) on Defence Cooperation in Tel Aviv, marking a major step in strengthening their strategic defence partnership.
• The MoU outlines a long-term framework for co-development, co-production, technology exchange, and counter-terrorism collaboration.
• Co-chaired by Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh and Major General Amir Baram, the agreement aims to boost defence innovation and industrial cooperation, aligning with India’s goal of self-reliance and modernisation in defence production.

Ranks & Reports News

Amul & IFFCO Dominate Global Cooperative List

• India’s cooperative sector achieved a global milestone as Amul (GCMMF) and IFFCO secured 1st and 2nd ranks respectively in the ICA World Cooperative Monitor 2025, announced at the ICA CM50 Conference in Doha.
• This recognition highlights India’s leadership in cooperative governance, inclusive growth, and rural empowerment.
• Amul stood out for transforming the dairy sector through a farmer-owned model empowering 3.6 million producers, while IFFCO excelled in sustainable fertiliser production, digital outreach, and community development.
• The achievement reinforces India’s “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” vision and global role in promoting cooperative-driven development aligned with the UN SDGs.

QS Asia Rankings 2026: IITs Slip as China, Singapore Soar

• India’s top universities faced a ranking setback in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026, with nine of the top ten Indian institutions dropping in rank despite improved scores.
• IIT Delhi remains the top Indian university but fell 15 places to 59th, while IIT Bombay dropped 23 ranks to 71st. Chandigarh University was the only institution to improve, rising to 109th.
• Key challenges include low research impact, poor faculty-student ratios, and limited internationalisation.
• Meanwhile, universities in China, Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Malaysia surged ahead, leveraging better research performance, global collaborations, and strategic investments.

Summits & Conferences News

CBSE Hosts First International Sahodaya Conference in Dubai

• The CBSE hosted its first International Sahodaya Conference in Dubai, bringing together over 1,000 school leaders and educators from CBSE-affiliated schools worldwide.
• Under the theme “Rooted in Wisdom, Rising with Vision: Reimagining Education through NEP 2020,” the two-day event focused on global collaboration, NEP 2020 implementation, innovative teaching, and holistic education.
• Highlights included the announcement of CBSE Global Curriculum 26 and two-level subjects from Class 9, while speakers like Rahul Singh, Dheeraj Sahu, and Sudha Murthy emphasized future-ready learning, inclusivity, and compassion-driven education.

MNRE to Host International Conference on Green Hydrogen

• The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) will host the International Conference on Green Hydrogen-2025 on 11–12 November 2025 in New Delhi, bringing together global and domestic stakeholders to accelerate India’s green hydrogen ecosystem.
• The event will address technology, financing, certification, port readiness, skill development, and localisation, aligning with the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
• With participation from multiple ministries, it underscores India’s goal to become a global hub for green hydrogen, boosting clean energy transition, export potential, and job creation.

Sports News

Centennial of Indian Hockey Begins November 7

• Hockey India will kick off its centenary celebrations on November 7, 2025, at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi, marking 100 years of Indian hockey since the founding of the Indian Hockey Federation in 1925.
• Organised with the Sports Authority of India (SAI), the event will feature Olympians like Zafar Iqbal, Jagbir Singh, Dilip Tirkey, and Ashok Kumar, and aims to honour the sport’s rich legacy and future vision.
• As part of the celebrations, over 1,000 hockey matches will be played across 500 districts, engaging more than 36,000 players nationwide.

Sir David Beckham Received Knighthood Honour 

• David Beckham, legendary footballer and former England captain, has been knighted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle on November 4, 2025, officially becoming Sir David Beckham.
• Honoured for his services to football and charity, Beckham joins an elite group of knighted football icons like Sir Bobby Charlton and Sir Alex Ferguson.
• With a career spanning Manchester United, Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, AC Milan, and PSG, he earned 115 England caps and led both on and off the field through his philanthropy, UNICEF work, and support for education initiatives, cementing his legacy as a global ambassador for sport and British values.

Important Days News

World Tsunami Awareness Day 2025 – Be Tsunami Ready

• Observed every 5 November, World Tsunami Awareness Day promotes global preparedness and resilience against tsunami risks.
• Established by the UN General Assembly in 2015, the 2025 theme — “Be Tsunami Ready: Invest in Tsunami Preparedness” — urges proactive investment in early-warning systems, coastal infrastructure, and community training.
• Inspired by Japan’s story of Inamura-no-hi (the Burning of the Rice Sheaves), the day underscores the importance of early action and public awareness.

Guru Nanak Jayanti 2025: Date, Importance, and Celebration Details

• Guru Nanak Jayanti 2025 will be celebrated on Wednesday, November 5, coinciding with Kartik Purnima, marking the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism.
• The festival emphasizes his teachings of equality, selfless service (Seva), meditation (Simran), and honest living (Kirat Karo).
• Celebrations include Akhand Path, Prabhat Pheris, Nagar Kirtans, and Langar, and are observed globally in countries like Canada, the UK, the US, and Australia, promoting peace, unity, and spiritual growth.

Obituaries News

“Business Titan Gopichand Hinduja, Chairman of Hinduja Group, Dies at 87”

• Gopichand Hinduja, chairman of the Hinduja Group, passed away at 85, marking the end of an era in global business.
• Born in 1940 in India, he led the multinational conglomerate with interests in automotive, banking, energy, IT, and infrastructure, expanding its presence across 38 countries.
• Educated at Jai Hind College, he received honorary doctorates from the University of Westminster and Richmond College.
• Ranked the UK’s richest individual for seven years, Hinduja was also celebrated for philanthropy, cross-cultural collaboration, and community initiatives, leaving a legacy as a visionary entrepreneur bridging India and the UK.