Daily current affairs:November 25, 2025

Long Description : The Dhwajarohan ceremony took place during the Abhijeet Muhurat, an auspicious hour chosen by priests, coinciding with Vivah Panchami, the celestial wedding day of Lord Ram and Sita. The flag was raised onto a 42-foot flagpole using parachute-grade fabric and premium silk threads designed to withstand extreme weather. Prime Minister Modi toured the seven temples within the complex and participated in aarti ceremonies. The ceremony signifies the completion of major construction work on the Ram Janmabhoomi complex, just over a year after the temple's consecration on January 22, 2024. The event drew dignitaries including RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, UP Governor Anandiben Patel, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Over 50 LED screens were installed across Ayodhya for public viewing, and strict security arrangements with 6,970 personnel were deployed for the occasion.

Long Description : The Code on Wages (2019), Industrial Relations Code (2020), Code on Social Security (2020), and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code (2020) have been unified into a comprehensive framework. Key reforms include statutory minimum wages for all employees, inclusion of gig and platform workers in social security provisions, free annual health check-ups for workers over 40 years, permission for women nighttime work across sectors, and mandatory appointment letters. The new codes establish common definitions for key concepts such as wages, employees, workers, and employers, streamlining compliance and filings. Prime Minister Modi stated the reforms will establish "a robust foundation for universal social security, timely and minimum wage payments, secure workplaces, and rewarding job opportunities." The changes aim to stimulate job creation, improve productivity, and attract investment while providing enhanced worker protections across organized and unorganized sectors.

Long Description : The Joint Venture Cooperation Agreement (JVCA) was signed on November 24, 2025, by BEL CMD Manoj Jain and Safran's Alexandre Ziegler in New Delhi, witnessed by Defence Ministry officials. HAMMER (Highly Agile Modular Munition Extended Range) is a precision glide bomb with a 70-kilometre range, compatible with 250-kg, 500-kg, and 1,000-kg bomb payloads, and can be launched from low altitude in various weather conditions. The system is already integrated with Rafale fighter jets and will be compatible with India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas. Production will occur in phases, with the joint venture company handling final assembly, testing, and quality assurance. India procured the HAMMER system in 2020 under emergency provisions during the China standoff in eastern Ladakh. This agreement formalizes an intent first expressed at Aero India in February 2025 and represents a significant step in India-France defence collaboration.

Long Description : The conclave, established in 2011 and expanded to include Bangladesh in 2024, focuses on five pillars: Maritime Safety and Security; Countering Terrorism and Radicalization; Combating Trafficking and Transnational Organised Crime; Cyber Security and Protection of Critical Infrastructure; and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief. Participants reviewed activities undertaken since the 6th meeting in December 2023 in Mauritius and discussed the Roadmap and Action Plan for 2026. Bangladesh's participation was significant amid strained India-Bangladesh relations following the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina. NSA Doval emphasized shared responsibility to maintain peace, stability, and a rules-based maritime order in the Indian Ocean region. The meeting tested institutional cooperation despite ongoing political tensions, with Bangladesh's continued engagement reflecting a strategic necessity to avoid isolation.

Long Description : The Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth, and Sports will examine the proliferation of coaching institutes supporting competitive examination preparation, social implications, and existing legislative gaps. This move responds to tragic incidents in cities like Kota, known as the "coaching capital of India," where several students have ended their lives due to academic pressure. The committee will also study AI's influence on teaching and learning processes and review the effectiveness and fairness of competitive entrance examinations in the school education system. Additionally, it will evaluate the implementation of the PM Schools for Rising India (PM-SHRI) scheme, NCERT's functioning, support for linguistic and religious minorities' education, and proposals for the Higher Education Council of India (HECI), which will replace the UGC, AICTE, and NCTE when legislation is introduced in Parliament's Winter session starting December 1, 2025.

Long Description : TRAI's massive crackdown, made possible through citizen complaints via the TRAI DND application, targeted telecom resources misused for fraudulent activities. The regulator issued an advisory urging citizens to avoid sharing personal or banking details on calls, messages, or social media; disconnect immediately from suspicious calls; report cyber fraud to the National Cybercrime Helpline; and utilize Sanchar Saathi's "Chakshu" feature to report misuse of telecom resources. Special emphasis was placed on protecting senior citizens, women, and digitally less-experienced users through awareness and proactive reporting mechanisms. TRAI reiterated its commitment to ensuring a safe, secure, and trustworthy telecom environment through ongoing enforcement actions, technology-driven monitoring, and public participation.

Long Description : The volcano's eruption sent ash columns 14 kilometres high into the atmosphere. The plume drifted across the Red Sea and entered India through western Rajasthan's Jodhpur-Jaisalmer region, spreading to Delhi, Haryana, and sections of Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh by late evening. Although most ash remained at altitudes of 25,000-45,000 feet, posing limited direct ground-level health risks, the DGCA issued strict advisories mandating airlines to avoid affected airspace and altitudes. Flights, including KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL 871 and KL 872), were cancelled due to ash interference with aircraft engines. The India Meteorological Department forecasted the ash cloud would clear from northern Indian skies by 7:30 PM on November 25. While surface-level air quality impact remained limited, vulnerable populations with respiratory conditions were cautioned about potential irritation from volcanic particles and sulphur dioxide exposure.

Long Description : Supported by the World Bank-funded Innovate in India for Inclusiveness (i3) Project since 2017, the NBM bridges discovery and delivery of affordable therapies. Major achievements include ZyCoV-D (the world's first DNA-based COVID-19 vaccine developed by Zydus Cadila), Bharat Biotech's dengue and chikungunya vaccines, lightweight portable cancer diagnostic scanners deployed in Mumbai and Assam, and Liraglutide biosimilar for Type 2 diabetes costing one-third of imported versions. Nearly 10,000 bio-based startups have emerged since 2014, supported through BIRAC's 100 incubation centres and 25 specialized biomanufacturing facilities. The mission has facilitated over 850 intellectual property filings and approximately 120 technology transfers through seven Regional Technology Transfer Offices. More than 30 hospitals and 10 field sites managing an 8,00,000 volunteer database enable high-quality clinical trials in cancer, rheumatology, diabetes, and ophthalmology, advancing India toward becoming a global biopharmaceutical powerhouse.

Long Description : A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta agreed to hear the petition, which challenges Clause (d) of Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, 1961, as unconstitutional. The petitioner argued that this lack of transparency deprives voters of crucial knowledge about political funding sources and donor motives, preventing rational and informed voting decisions. The plea noted that with the digital payment revolution and widespread UPI adoption in India, permitting anonymous cash donations below ₹2,000 lacks a justified nexus to transparency maintenance. The petition referenced the Supreme Court's 2024 judgment striking down the electoral bonds scheme and seeks directions for the Election Commission to mandate full disclosure of all political contributions, regardless of amount, and prohibit any cash donations by political parties. The matter was listed for hearing after four weeks, with the bench seeking comprehensive responses from all stakeholders on whether digital-era transparency should supersede outdated cash donation exemptions.

Long Description : In a historic letter dated November 22, 2026, signed by MMC spokesperson Anant, Maoists acknowledged the "changing circumstances in the country and world" and Central Committee decisions by former leaders Sonu (Mallojula Venugopal Rao) and Chandranna to suspend armed struggle. The letter requested state governments halt combing operations until February 15 to facilitate "eventless surrender" and collective decision-making through the party's "democratic-centralism" process. Maoists promised to suspend PLGA (People's Liberation Guerrilla Army) week celebrations, cease military actions, and refrain from provocations. They urged All India Radio broadcasts to reach scattered cadres lacking modern communication. The appeal follows a cascade of surrenders from senior leaders and indicates a significant weakening of Naxal ranks. Over 500 Maoists surrendered in the preceding month alone, with key leader Madvi Hidma killed in an Andhra Pradesh encounter. Security officials viewed the letter as a genuine admission of operational decimation, though they confirmed operations would continue to verify authenticity and prevent regrouping attempts.

Long Description : The Ladakh-based climate activist and innovator was detained on September 26, 2025, under the NSA following violence during protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh that left four people dead and 90 injured. The amended petition, filed through Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, termed the detention "founded upon stale FIRs, vague imputations, and speculative assertions" lacking a live proximate connection to detention grounds. The petition argues that the detention order lacks legal or factual justification and constitutes a gross abuse of preventive powers. Critical procedural violations were cited, including delayed communication of detention grounds (28 days instead of the prescribed 5-10 days under NSA Section 8). The plea emphasized Wangchuk's peaceful Gandhian protests and his public condemnation of violence, alongside violations of Articles 19 (free speech), 21 (liberty), and 14 (equality) of the Constitution. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N. V. Anjaria deferred proceedings to allow the Centre and UT administration time to respond to the rejoinder.

Long Description : Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan administered the oath to Yadav at Raj Bhawan in Patna on Monday, November 24. As Pro-tem Speaker, he holds the temporary position of Assembly chief, responsible for conducting oath ceremonies for newly elected members and overseeing the election of the permanent Speaker. Yadav is an experienced legislator who has served as a minister in the Bihar government previously. His appointment precedes the scheduled convening of the state assembly session from December 1 for four to five days, during which the permanent Speaker election will be conducted. The Pro-tem Speaker plays a crucial transitional role, ensuring smooth assembly functioning until the permanent Speaker assumes office, managing parliamentary procedures and legislative conduct during this interim period.

Long Description : The scheme aims to address India's core challenge of insufficient funding for cutting-edge R&D by attracting private sector participation and facilitating prototype-to-commercial-product transitions. Key components include 10,000 new Prime Minister's Research Fellowships over five years and 25,000 additional Atal Tinkering Labs (adding to the existing 10,000), benefiting approximately one crore children. Focus areas include quantum science, semiconductor fabrication, AI applications for Indian agriculture, healthcare, and education, advanced materials and manufacturing, blue economy development, digital communications, and emerging agriculture technologies. PM Modi highlighted that R&D expenditure doubled in the preceding decade while patent registrations surged 17-fold, with India now hosting the world's third-largest startup ecosystem of over 6,000 deep-tech startups. The bio-economy expanded from ₹10 billion in 2014 to ₹140 billion. India will host the Global AI Summit in February 2026 with ₹10,000 crore invested under the India AI Mission.

Long Description : Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675) was the son of the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind. He was martyred on November 24, 1675, at Chandni Chowk in Delhi by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb for opposing forced religious conversions of Kashmiri Pandits. In his memory, the Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib was constructed at Chandni Chowk. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) planned to mark the 350th anniversary on a large scale during November 2025. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on November 21 that the Delhi Government declared November 25 as a public holiday, stating, "May Guru Sahib's timeless message of courage, compassion, and freedom of faith continue to guide and inspire us." Chandigarh Administration similarly declared it a public holiday rather than a restricted holiday. These commemorations celebrate his contributions to religious freedom and democratic principles, making this day significant in Sikh history and Indian constitutional values.

Long Description : The incident occurred around 12:07 PM when the Afghan aircraft, cleared to land on runway 29L (arrivals runway), deviated and touched down on parallel runway 29R (departures runway). Air India flight AI-2243 to Riyadh had just taken off from the same runway when the Afghan aircraft landed. The pilot commanded the aircraft, attributed the deviation to Instrument Landing System (ILS) failure combined with poor visibility, resulting in loss of lateral guidance. Though the pilot acknowledged Air Traffic Control clearance for runway 29L, he claimed ATC did not inform the crew about the deviation from the assigned path toward the wrong runway. The crew realized the mistake only after landing and vacating the runway. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) launched an investigation into procedural lapses and the pilot's claims regarding ILS system functionality and ATC communication gaps. The incident raised questions about runway management procedures and air traffic coordination during low-visibility conditions at India's busiest airport.