Context: The UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2025, released ahead of COP30 in Belem, Brazil, highlights accelerating global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and insufficient progress toward Paris Agreement targets. The report warns that without rapid emission reductions this decade, the world faces a serious escalation of climate risks and damages. Key Highlights: Country-Wise Trends: Projected Warming & Climate Risks: UNEP Findings & Warnings: Implications for India & the World:
Election Commission Launches International Election Visitors’ Program 2025
Source: News on Air Context: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has inaugurated the International Election Visitors’ Program (IEVP) 2025 at the India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi. Key Highlights: Significance The IEVP is a flagship initiative of the ECI, aimed at:
Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 5 November, 2025
Daily Current Affairs Quiz5 November, 2025 National Affairs 1. Election Commission Launches International Election Visitors’ Program 2025 Source: News on Air Context: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has inaugurated the International Election Visitors’ Program (IEVP) 2025 at the India International Institute for Democracy and Election Management (IIIDEM) in New Delhi. Key Highlights: Significance The IEVP is a flagship initiative of the ECI, aimed at: 2. UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2025 Context: The UNEP Emissions Gap Report 2025, released ahead of COP30 in Belem, Brazil, highlights accelerating global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and insufficient progress toward Paris Agreement targets. The report warns that without rapid emission reductions this decade, the world faces a serious escalation of climate risks and damages. Key Highlights: Country-Wise Trends: Projected Warming & Climate Risks: UNEP Findings & Warnings: Implications for India & the World: 3. Banks Push for Yuan Inclusion in GIFT City Source: TOI Context: With diplomatic relations between India and China gradually warming, the Indian government and the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) are revisiting a proposal to allow International Banking Units (IBUs) in GIFT City to transact in the offshore renminbi (CNH). This move could expand the range of financial products offered and strengthen GIFT City’s position as a global financial hub. Background Rationale for the Proposal Past Developments 4. PM Launches ₹1 Lakh-Crore Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Scheme Fund Source: TOI Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Emerging Science & Technology Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, and launched the ₹1 lakh-crore Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) Scheme Fund. Launch of the ₹1 Lakh-Crore RDI Scheme Fund Establishment of Anusandhan Research Foundation About Research, Development & Innovation (RDI) Scheme 2025 Key Features: Complementary National Initiatives Initiative Key Focus Financial Outlay ANRF (Act 2023, operational 2024) ₹50,000 crore mobilization (2023–28); academia–industry linkages ₹14,000 crore public + private National Quantum Mission Quantum computing, communications, materials ₹6,003.65 crore (2023–31) National Supercomputing Mission Indigenous HPC, skill training centers (Pune, Kharagpur, Chennai, Palakkad, Goa) Ongoing India Semiconductor Mission (PLI) Fab and chip design ecosystem ₹76,000 crore (10 projects; ₹1.6 lakh crore investment) Deep Ocean Mission Marine tech, blue economy, biodiversity ₹4,077 crore IndiaAI Mission Compute scale-up to 38,000 GPUs; innovation, governance, and skilling ₹10,371.92 crore AIM 2.0 (till 2028) Expanding ATLs/AICs, MSME innovation ₹2,750 crore 5. Pravasi Parichay 2025 Context: The Embassy of India in Riyadh successfully concluded the third edition of Pravasi Parichay 2025 with a grand finale titled “Gita Mahotsav – A Musical.” The event celebrated India’s spiritual, philosophical, and cultural heritage, bringing together members of the Indian diaspora and local communities in Saudi Arabia. About Pravasi Parichay 2025 Pravasi Parichay is an annual diaspora cultural festival organized by the Embassy of India, Riyadh, aimed at showcasing India’s rich artistic, linguistic, and philosophical traditions. The event features music, dance, theatre, exhibitions, and dialogues that highlight the vibrancy and diversity of Indian culture abroad. Host: Embassy of India, Riyadh, in collaboration with Indian diaspora associations and cultural institutions in Saudi Arabia. Objectives Banking/Finance 1. Sebi to Revamp 30-Year-Old Stock Broker Regulations Source: ET Context: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) is set to overhaul stock broker regulations, some of which have remained largely unchanged for over three decades. The move aims to strengthen risk management, data protection, and market resilience, according to Sebi Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey. Key Highlights: What are Stock Broker Regulations? Stock Broker Regulations are a set of rules and guidelines framed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) introduced in the early 1990s to govern the registration, conduct, responsibilities, and operations of stock brokers and sub-brokers who facilitate buying and selling of securities on stock exchanges. Legal Framework The key framework is the SEBI (Stock Brokers and Sub-Brokers) Regulations, 1992, which: Objectives of the Regulations Key Provisions (Under the 1992 Regulations) 2. Brokers Urge Sebi to Restore Bank Nifty Weekly Options Context: The Association of National Exchanges Members of India (ANMI) has appealed to the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to restore weekly options on the Bank Nifty index, citing their importance as a hedging tool and market liquidity concerns. The move comes amid ongoing debate over Sebi’s restrictions on weekly expiries after massive retail investor losses. Background: SEBI’s Restrictions on Weekly Options Why Bank Nifty Options Matter Regulatory Context What are Weekly Options on the Bank Nifty Index? Weekly options on the Bank Nifty index are derivative contracts that give traders and investors the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell the Bank Nifty index at a specified price (called the strike price) on or before a specific weekly expiry date. Understanding the Bank Nifty Index What “Weekly Options” Mean Types of Bank Nifty Weekly Options 3. SBI Launches Digital Life Certificate Campaign for Pensioners Context: The State Bank of India (SBI) has initiated a nationwide Digital Life Certificate (DLC) campaign to simplify and digitize the life certificate submission process for pensioners. Key Highlights: Significance: 4. RBI’s Rupee Defence Drains Banking System Liquidity Source: BS Context: The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) aggressive intervention in the forex market to defend the rupee is reducing liquidity in the banking system, raising concerns among economists and traders about its impact on interest rates and economic growth. Key Highlights: Rupee Movement and Market Context: 5. NaBFID to Be Repositioned as a Global Financial Institution Source: ET Context: The National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) is set to be renamed as Infrastructure Development Bank (IDB), signaling its ambition to emerge as a global-level financial institution akin to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Key Highlights: National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) 6. Bank of Baroda Pauses Nainital Bank Divestment Plan Source: BL Context: Bank of Baroda (BoB) has shelved its plan to divest majority shareholding and relinquish control in its subsidiary Nainital Bank Ltd (NBL). The decision marks a shift from its earlier intent to offload stake and exit the
Sagarmala 2.0
Source: Mint Context: The Indian government is revamping the Sagarmala initiative into a 10-year, ₹75,000-crore programme— Sagarmala 2.0 to position India as a global maritime hub. The move aligns with the government’s broader maritime development strategy and complements the recently announced ₹70,000-crore maritime package. Objectives of Sagarmala 2.0: Financial Details: About Sagarmala Initiative: Launch & Objective Key Goals Implementation Pillars
Cauvery River Heavy Metal Contamination Study
Context: High levels of heavy metals, particularly cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), were detected in fish from the Cauvery River. Regular or excessive consumption of contaminated fish may pose carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks to humans, affecting neurological and renal health. About the Cauvery River About Heavy Metals Key Findings of the Study
Pampadum Shola National Park
Context: Pampadum Shola in Kerala has become a model of ecological restoration, successfully removing invasive Australian wattle trees (Acacia mearnsii) and reviving native grasslands and biodiversity. About Pampadum Shola National Park About Australian Wattle (Acacia mearnsii)
RBI’s Short Dollar Forward Position Rises
Source: BS Context: The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) short dollar forward position rose for the first time in seven months, signalling active intervention to stabilise the rupee amid sustained depreciation pressure in October 2025. What is a Short Dollar Forward Position? A short dollar forward position refers to a situation where the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) (or any central bank) has sold U.S. dollars for future delivery through forward contracts in the foreign exchange market. In simple terms, it means the RBI has committed to sell dollars later — usually to support the rupee and stabilise the exchange rate — while possibly buying rupees in the present. Mechanism: So, a rise in the RBI’s short dollar forward position indicates: Impact on Economy:
SEBI Amends Mutual Fund Rules to Classify REITs as Equity
Context: The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has revised mutual fund regulations to explicitly classify units of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) as equity instruments. This change allows fund houses to include REIT units in their equity portfolios under specified limits. Key Highlights: About Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) A Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) is a collective investment vehicle that pools money from investors to own, operate, or finance income-generating real estate assets such as office buildings, malls, hotels, and warehouses.REITs function similar to mutual funds — but instead of investing in stocks or bonds, they invest in real estate properties. Regulatory Framework: Implications:
Statutory Liquidity ratio (SLR)
Source: Mint Context: Banks are selling government securities to fund credit growth as deposit growth lags behind lending demand. RBI data shows the statutory liquidity ratio (SLR)—the share of deposits invested in government and approved securities—fell to 26.5% on 17 October 2025, down from 27.3% a year ago, allowing banks access to nearly ₹26,000 crore in funds. About Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) The Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) is the minimum percentage of a bank’s Net Demand and Time Liabilities (NDTL) that must be maintained in the form of liquid assets — such as cash, gold, or approved government securities — before providing credit to customers. Regulatory Basis: Current Requirement (as of 2025): Objectives of SLR: Components of SLR Assets: Reasons Behind SLR Decline:
The Case for Publishing RBI’s Inflation-Failure Report
Context: The Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) monetary policy framework—anchored in a flexible inflation-targeting regime—is up for review by March 2026. While consensus exists on retaining the 4% inflation target with a ±2% tolerance band, a crucial aspect of transparency in the framework has come under renewed scrutiny: the non-publication of the RBI’s report to the government following its failure to meet the inflation target in 2022. Background: Under Section 45ZN of the RBI Act, 1934, when inflation remains outside the prescribed tolerance band (2–6%) for three consecutive quarters, the central bank must submit a report to the Central Government explaining: In 2022, when inflation breached the upper tolerance limit for three consecutive quarters, the RBI submitted such a report—but it was not made public. Arguments for Transparency:
