Why in News?

• National Tabletop Exercise VAJRA-SAT concluded in Bengaluru recently.

• Focus: Preparedness against Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) serotype SAT-1(Southern African Territories 1).

• Theme: Detect Early, Confirm Fast, Contain Together.

• FMD SAT-1 has not been reported in India.

Major Focus Areas

• Early detection and laboratory diagnosis.

• Disease surveillance and epidemiological investigation.

• Animal movement control and emergency vaccination preparedness.

• Inter-State coordination and border vigilance.

Significance

• Strengthens preparedness against transboundary animal diseases.

• Protects livestock health, farmers' livelihoods and the livestock economy.

Why in News?

• 4th AISSNG-2026 held at Sainik School Bijapur, Vijayapura, Karnataka, from 3–7 November 2026.

• Participants: 544 cadets (296 boys and 248 girls).

• Representing 30 old and 13 new Sainik Schools.

• Organised by Sainik Schools Society, Ministry of Defence.

Closing Ceremony

• Date: 7 November 2026.

• Chief Guest: Raksha Rajya Mantri Sanjay Seth.

• Chief of Naval Staff: Admiral Krishna Swaminathan.

Important Fact

• Sainik School Bijapur completed 63 years of service.

• Motto: “Ajeet Hai Abheet Hai.”

Why in News?

• India and Myanmar launched their first-ever Tri-Services Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) Exercise, RAHAT MITRA, in Chennai on 5 November 2026.

Key Highlights

• Theme: Together for Humanity, Stronger through Partnership.

• Participation: 300+ personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force of both countries.

• Coordinated by the Indian Navy.

• Strengthen HADR cooperation and interoperability.

• Enhance disaster response coordination and mutual trust.

Significance

• Strengthens India–Myanmar defence cooperation.

• Supports India's Neighbourhood First Policy and MAHASAGAR vision.

Why in News?

• India and the European Union (EU) have successfully concluded negotiations on India's association with the Horizon Europe Programme.

• It is the EU's flagship research and innovation programme, with a total budget of approximately €93.5 billion.

• It will provide new opportunities for Indian scientists, research institutions, universities and companies to collaborate with European institutions.

• They will also be able to lead collaborative research projects under its second pillar (Pillar II) – ‘Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness’.

• India's participation in the programme is expected to begin in January 2027.

What is the Horizon Europe Programme?

• It is the European Union's flagship Research and Innovation Funding Programme.

• It was launched in 2021.

• Its duration is 2021–2027.

• It has a total budget of approximately €93.5 billion.

• Its objective is to promote scientific research, new technologies and innovation.

Significance for India

• Strengthen India's global scientific presence.

• Increase investment and collaboration in Research and Development (R&D).

• Promote indigenous technology and innovation.

• Strengthen the India-EU strategic partnership.

• Help address global challenges such as climate change, healthcare and energy.

Why in News?

• The Assam government has prohibited unauthorized drone operations, photography and videography around the roosting sites of the migratory bird Amur Falcon.

• More than 1 lakh Amur Falcons have arrived in Assam during this season.

About Amur Falcon

• Scientific Name: Falco amurensis

• It is a small-sized migratory bird of prey. Its name is derived from the Amur River region, which lies along the border between China and Russia.

• Its breeding grounds are located in East Asia.

• It migrates to the southern parts of Africa during winter.

• It undertakes a long migratory journey of approximately 20,000 kilometres.

• During migration, it stops for some time in the northeastern region of India, including Assam, Nagaland and Manipur.

• It is locally known as Eninum, which means “mysterious creature” in the Lotha language.

• IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC).

• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule IV.

Threats to Amur Falcon from Drones

• Rotating drone propellers can injure birds.

• Drone noise and sudden movements can frighten birds.

• Their resting and feeding activities may be disturbed.

• Repeated take-offs and movements can lead to energy expenditure.

• This may affect their long migratory journey.

Note: India is a signatory to the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).

Why in News?

• Embassy of India in Kuwait organised a two-day ‘Diwali Diwaniya’ celebration at India House.

• Marked 65 years of India-Kuwait diplomatic relations.

Key Highlights

• Combined India's Diwali celebrations with Kuwait's traditional Diwaniya culture.

• Featured Kathak fusion, instrumental music, Indian textiles, mehndi, handicrafts and regional cuisine.

• Showcased One District One Product (ODOP) crafts, including blue pottery, filigree work and paintings.

Important Facts

• Both Diwali and Diwaniya were inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2025.

• Promotes cultural diplomacy and strengthens India-Kuwait friendship.

Why in News?

• Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh virtually inaugurated Base 1, a space robotics facility of Cosmoserve Space in Hyderabad.

• India aims for debris-free space by 2030.

Key Highlights

• Focus: Active space debris removal and in-orbit servicing.

• Facilities include space robotics labs, orbital capture labs, microgravity simulation platforms and mission control.

• Mission EMBRACE: Tested soft robotic petals in space in July 2026. This showed the world’s first demonstration of soft robotic capture in orbit. Hence Mission Embrace validates the capture technology in space for the first time.

India's Space Sector

• Space economy: Nearly $9 billion; projected to reach $40–45 billion in the coming decade.

• Space startups increased from single digits to nearly 450.

• Key enablers: IN-SPACe and NewSpace India Limited (NSIL).
  

Significance

• Promotes private-sector participation and indigenous space technologies.

• Strengthens space sustainability, debris removal and in-orbit servicing.
  
  

Why in News?

• Ministry of Railways won the PM Surya Ghar Excellence Award for maximum rooftop solar installations among Central ministries/departments.

• Award presented by Vice President C. P. Radhakrishnan at Renewable Energy Summit & Expo 2026, New Delhi.

• Target: Solarise all remaining feasible railway buildings by March 2027.

Key Highlights

Railway buildings identified: 15,868.

Buildings solarised: 12,495 (79%).

Rooftop solar capacity commissioned: 351 MW (Target: 424 MW).

Target: Solarise all remaining feasible railway buildings by March 2027.

National Progress

25,984 of 39,135 identified buildings solarised across 77 Central ministries/departments (66% coverage).

Why in News?

• EAM S. Jaishankar met Guyana President Irfaan Ali during CHOGM 2026 in Antigua and Barbuda.

• India announced a $500 million Line of Credit (LoC) for Guyana.

Key Highlights

• LoC to support road, healthcare and defence projects.

• Three agreements signed covering:

• Manufacturing projects for Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs).

• Grant assistance for Quick Impact Projects (QIPs).

• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), including a UPI-like payment system.

Significance

• Strengthens India–Guyana development partnership.

• Expands cooperation in infrastructure, healthcare, defence and digital payments.

Key Highlights

Ministry of MSME and TRIFED(Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited) collaborate to promote products made by tribal artisans registered under PM Vishwakarma.

Products to be marketed through Tribes India retail outlets and its online marketplace.

Major Provisions

Onboarding and capacity building of eligible tribal artisans.

Product aggregation, quality assurance, packaging and cataloguing support.

Dedicated display and sales space across Tribes India outlets.

Significance

Expands market access and visibility for tribal artisans.

Supports traditional crafts, entrepreneurship and income generation.

Why in News?

Ministry of Culture signed an MoU with Google Arts & Culture to digitise and promote India's cultural heritage.

Key Highlights

Digitisation of:

• ASI-protected monuments and archaeological sites.

• National museum collections.

• Manuscripts under Gyan Bharatam.

• Indian crafts, performing arts and traditions.

• Special focus on Yuge Yugeen Bharat Museum, New Delhi.

• Heritage content will be accessible in Indian languages and across digital devices.

Significance

• Promotes digital preservation and global accessibility of Indian heritage.

• Supports cultural awareness and India's creative economy.

Why in News?

The Government of India has constituted a High-Level Committee on Banking for Viksit Bharat to review India's banking sector and recommend reforms to make it globally competitive, financially inclusive, and resilient, in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

The committee was announced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Union Budget 2026-27.

Major Terms of Reference (Objectives)

The committee will focus on the following areas:

1. Banking Reforms: Review existing banking practices and prudential norms and adopt suitable global best practices.

2. Regulatory Reforms: Examine laws and regulations governing commercial, regional rural, and cooperative banks.

3. Capital Requirements: Assess the long-term funding needs of banks, Development Financial Institutions (DFIs), and NBFCs.

4. Investment Promotion: Examine the cost of capital for businesses and suggest measures to encourage private investment.

5. AI and Digital Banking: Develop a roadmap for AI and digital innovation, with safeguards against cyber risks and measures for skill development.

6. Financial Inclusion: Review the Priority Sector Lending (PSL) framework and Lead Bank Scheme to improve inclusive and balanced credit delivery.

Significance

The committee aims to build a strong, efficient, technology-driven, and globally competitive banking system capable of supporting India's long-term economic growth and achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.

Why in News?

• The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued specific security and audit guidelines for Agentic AI systems.

• The objective is to reduce cybersecurity risks associated with AI systems that can perform tasks autonomously and delegate work to other AI systems.

What is Agentic AI?

• An AI system that does not merely respond to user instructions but can independently plan and execute tasks involving multiple steps.

• It can use external tools, run software, and delegate tasks to other AI systems.

Major Cybersecurity Risks Associated with Agentic AI

• Unauthorized access to systems.

• Running software or code without permission.

• Misuse of sensitive information.

• Improper delegation of tasks to other AI systems.

• Incorrect use of stored information from previous interactions.

• Performing risky tasks without human approval.

Significance

• Helps prevent AI-based cyberattacks.

• Enhances the security of financial institutions and digital services.

• Improves accountability and transparency in AI systems.

• Promotes safe and responsible AI development.

• Strengthens India's cybersecurity framework.

Why in News?

• The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested the indigenous Pralay missile from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.

• The successful test is an important step towards the induction of the missile into the armed forces.

About Pralay Missile

• It is an indigenous, solid-fuel-based quasi-ballistic missile.

• It has been developed by DRDO.

• It is a surface-to-surface missile.

• Its primary objective is to destroy enemy military installations and important targets.

Key Features of the Test

• Location: Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.

• Objective: To evaluate the missile's flight capability and performance.

• All the predetermined test objectives were successfully achieved.

• Test data were collected through various instruments deployed by the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur.

Significance of Pralay Missile

• Promotes India's indigenous defence technology.

• Enhances the combat capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces.

• Strengthens India's ability to conduct precision strikes against important enemy military targets.

• Strengthens the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat in the defence sector.

• Enhances India's strategic capabilities in modern warfare.