Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 04 November, 2026

Context of the News

Before COP31 at Antalya, two reports were released by the International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI) and UNEP:

• State of the Cryosphere 2026: The Cost of Overshoot
• Overshoot and the Cryosphere: Averting Global Meltdown

They warn that even crossing 1.5°C for a short time could cause permanent ice loss and release huge amounts of carbon from frozen soil.

What Is the Cryosphere?

It means all the frozen water on earth. This includes:

• Ice sheets — the huge ice layers on Greenland and Antarctica
• Mountain glaciers
• Seasonal snow
• Sea ice
• Ice on lakes and rivers
• Permafrost — soil that stays frozen all year

What Did the Report Find?

• Faster Warming: The Arctic is warming four times faster than the global average. Hindu Kush Himalayas warm by 1.8–2.2°C for every 1.5°C of global warming.
• Permafrost Carbon: Permafrost covers around 14 million sq. km and stores nearly 1,700 billion tonnes of carbon. Thawing releases carbon dioxide and methane.
• Rapid Ice Loss: Greenland and Antarctica are losing ice six times faster than in the 1990s.
• Sea-Level Rise: At 2.8–3.2°C warming, sea levels could rise by 5 cm annually by 2150.
• Glacier Loss: At 3°C warming, most mid-latitude glaciers below 6,000 metres could disappear, along with two-thirds of Hindu Kush Himalayan ice.
• Permafrost Emissions: Thawing could release greenhouse gases equivalent to the United States’ annual emissions for 100–200 years.
• AMOC Disruption: Ice-free Arctic summers and freshwater entering the North Atlantic could weaken the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), affecting European temperatures and global climate.
• India’s GLOF Deaths: India recorded 6,119 deaths in 62 Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) between 1835 and 2025, mainly due to ice avalanches and monsoon rainfall.

Why Is the Cryosphere Melting?

• Global Warming: Atmospheric carbon dioxide has crossed 420 parts per million (ppm), increasing temperatures.
• Albedo Feedback: Melting white ice exposes dark land and ocean surfaces, which absorb more heat and accelerate further melting.
• Warm Ocean Currents: Warm water melts ice shelves from below, particularly in West Antarctica.
• Rainfall and Forest Fires: Rain accelerates snowmelt, while forest fires damage the insulating soil layer and speed up permafrost thawing.

Context of the News

A saffron trial in Ladakh gave its first flowers in just 30 days. Normally saffron takes about two months to flower. The trial was done on barren land that was brought back to use under Project Him Sarovar.

What Is Saffron?

• Scientific name Crocus sativus
• It is the most expensive spice in the world
• The spice comes from the three red threads inside each purple flower
• These threads are called stigmas
• They are picked by hand and dried

Important Facts for Exams

• Saffron trial in Ladakh flowered in 30 days instead of two months
• Land was restored under Project Him Sarovar
• Crocus sativus, family Iridaceae
• Grows at 1,500 to 2,800 metres
• Needs 1,50,000 to 1,75,000 flowers for one kilogram
• Key chemicals: crocin (colour), picrocrocin (taste), safranal (smell)
• It is sterile and grows only from corms
• In India, saffron is grown mainly in Pampore, Pulwama district, Jammu and Kashmir
• Kashmir saffron got a GI tag in 2020
• Iran produces about 90 per cent of the world’s saffron
• The National Saffron Mission was launched in 2010
• Ladakh was declared India’s first fully organic Union Territory in 2026

Context of the News

The 1st International Maize Conference (IMC 2026) began at Hyderabad.

Theme: “Maize Revolution for Food, Feed, Fodder, Fuel and Sustainability in the Changing World” (M4FS)

What Is the Conference?

• A global meeting of scientists, policymakers, universities and agri-business leaders
• They will plan how to improve maize in breeding, yields, machinery and value chains

What Is the Aim?

• Close the gap between what maize could yield and what it actually yields
• Develop climate-resilient and biofortified hybrids
• Meet rising demand from bioethanol, poultry feed and cattle fodder

What Were the Main Outcomes?

From 4F to 5F

• The old idea was Food, Feed, Fodder and Fuel — the 4Fs
• A fifth has been added: Farmers
• The focus now includes farmer profit, lower input costs and stable livelihoods

Important Facts for Exams

• India is 4th in maize area and among the top 5-6 producers, with 3.3 to 4 per cent of world output
• Top states: Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, then Bihar, Rajasthan, UP, Telangana
• The United States is the world’s largest maize producer
• Maize is called the “queen of cereals” because it has the highest yield potential among cereals
• It is a C4 plant, which makes it very efficient at using sunlight
• ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research is at Ludhiana
• India’s first non-GMO high-expansion popcorn maize hybrid was released in 2025

• Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh announced the establishment of a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for the conservation and development of the indigenous Siri cattle breed in Sikkim.
• The initiative will focus on breed improvement, genetic conservation and scientific breeding practices.
• In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) technology will be used to improve the breed and multiply superior germplasm.
• The initiative aims to preserve indigenous bovine genetic resources and improve livestock productivity.

• Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh digitally launched the North District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd. (NDMU) under White Revolution 2.0.
• The initiative aims to strengthen dairy development and improve livestock productivity.
• It is expected to support farmers’ livelihoods and strengthen cooperative milk production in the region.

• The Ministry of Rural Development notified the Grievance Redressal Rules, 2026, under the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin), or VB-G RAM G.
• The rules establish a multi-level system for receiving, recording, investigating and resolving complaints related to the rural employment programme.
• They prescribe a 15-day deadline for resolving scheme-related grievances.
• The framework aims to improve administrative accountability and protect the employment and wage rights of rural households.

• The Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR) signed an MoU with Convergence Energy Services Limited (CESL) to develop electric vehicle charging and battery-swapping facilities on Panchayat-owned land.
• The initiative will promote clean mobility and help Gram, Block and District Panchayats generate additional Own Source Revenue (OSR).
• The proposed infrastructure will support two-wheelers, three-wheelers, four-wheelers and medium and heavy-duty vehicles.
• MoPR will coordinate with State Panchayati Raj Departments to identify suitable sites, while CESL will handle assessment, installation, operation and maintenance.
• CESL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), under the Ministry of Power.

• On 2 November 2026, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) amended its Foreign Exchange Management regulations relating to the export and import of goods and services.
• The amendments were notified through the Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Goods and Services) (Second Amendment) Regulations, 2026.
• Resident individuals will be treated as having submitted the Export Declaration Form (EDF) once they provide the required information to their Authorised Dealer (AD).
• The revised rules introduce a ₹10 lakh threshold for certain service-related transactions. The amendments came into force retrospectively from 1 October 2026.

• In November 2026, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) issued a framework allowing Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) to issue Depository Receipts (DRs) backed by their units.
• These DRs can be listed on permitted exchanges at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City).
• The permitted exchanges are India International Exchange (India INX) and NSE International Exchange (NSE IX).
• A fresh issue of DRs will require prior approval from unitholders, with at least 75% of votes cast in favour.
• SEBI also reduced the Offer for Sale (OFS) cooling-off period for illiquid private listed InvITs from 12 weeks to 8 weeks.

• Digital lending platform Fibe, formerly known as EarlySalary, launched Unified Payments Interface (UPI) payment services after receiving approval as a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• The approval allows Fibe to offer UPI payments directly through its own application.
• Users can make payments through bank accounts, use RuPay credit cards and link eligible credit lines to UPI.
• The service is available to users even if they are not borrowers of Fibe. The company was established in 2015 and is headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra.

• In November 2026, Razorpay Payments Private Limited received the final Payment Service Provider (PSP) licence from the International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) to operate from GIFT City, Gujarat.
• The company had received in-principle approval in April 2026.
• The licence will allow Razorpay to support international collections, settlements, global investments and multi-currency transactions.
• Its banking integrations with RBL Bank and ICICI Bank are already live on the network.
• Razorpay was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

• On 3 November 2026, SEBI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Digital India BHASHINI Division (DIBD).
• The partnership aims to expand financial information and regulatory services in regional Indian languages.
• BHASHINI is a government initiative that uses language technology to make digital services accessible in Indian languages.

Context of the News

An ILO report says less than 12 per cent of manager jobs in India are held by women. India ranks 32nd out of 34 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Only Pakistan and Bangladesh rank lower. The report is called “Women in Business and Management: Scaling Success”.

What Is India’s Rank?

What Is the Pay Gap?

• Women in India earn about 28 per cent less per hour than men
• This is the fourth-widest gap among the 23 Asia-Pacific economies studied

Countries with a bigger gap than India

Context of the News

India has moved past the UK to reach third place in the 2026 ASK Private Wealth Hurun India Gazelle Index. India now has 51 gazelle companies, four more than last year.

What Is a Gazelle?

A gazelle is a company that is:

• Privately owned, not listed on the stock market
• Started in 2000 or later
• Worth between $500 million and $1 billion
• Likely to become a unicorn within three years

A unicorn is a private company worth more than $1 billion.

Who Leads the List?

How Do the Three Compare?

Where Else Does India Rank Third?

• In the global Cheetah list
• And in the global Unicorn list

• In October 2026, the Ministry of Civil Aviation notified the Bharatiya Vayuyan Niyam, 2026, replacing the Aircraft Rules, 1937.
• The new rules will come into effect on 1 January 2027.
• They have been framed under the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, 2024, to modernise India’s civil aviation regulatory framework.
• The rules cover aircraft registration, airworthiness certification, maintenance, flight operations, personnel licensing, airline tariffs and airport operations.
• They also specify qualification, training, examination and medical fitness requirements for pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers and air traffic controllers.

• On 3 November 2026, the IndiaAI Mission, under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), unveiled three indigenous foundation models in New Delhi.
• The models include EKA-1 and Dhīr.
• Foundation models are large AI models trained on extensive datasets and can be adapted for different tasks.
• The initiative aims to strengthen India’s domestic AI capabilities.

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) introduced the ScrollControl Child Digital Safety Programme across Air Force Schools.
• A total of 261 teachers from 42 schools have been certified as Cyber Crime Intervention Officers.
• The programme aims to protect schoolchildren from online threats and promote responsible digital behaviour.
• It focuses on cyber safety, cybercrime prevention and digital awareness through trained teachers.

• Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated India’s 183rd Seismological Observatory in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, in November 2026.
• The observatory will send real-time earthquake data to the National Centre for Seismology (NCS) in New Delhi.
• Jammu and Kashmir now has four seismological observatories, located in Jammu, Srinagar, Udhampur and Kishtwar.
• The Ministry of Earth Sciences plans to establish 100 additional observatories nationwide. The expansion aims to improve earthquake detection from magnitude 3 to magnitude 2.5 and above.
• Four additional Doppler Weather Radars are also planned for Doda, Kishtwar, Anantnag and Baramulla in 2027.

• The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by the Defence Minister, accorded in-principle approval to Project 18A, the Indian Navy’s Next Generation Destroyer programme.
• The estimated project cost is around ₹80,000 crore.
• The destroyers will be large, stealth guided-missile warships designed by the Navy’s in-house Warship Design Bureau (WDB).
• They are expected to have advanced weapons and sensors for land-attack, integrated air defence and anti-submarine warfare.
• The project aims to strengthen India’s naval capabilities and replace the existing Visakhapatnam-class destroyers as the Navy’s leading surface strike platforms.

• Bhutan consecrated 108 Jangchub Chortens, or stupas of enlightenment, at Gelephu Mindfulness City on 1 November 2026.
• The project was conceived and guided by Bhutan’s King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
• Around 40,000 volunteers, monks and artisans reportedly constructed the 108 stupas within nine hours along an 11.7-km corridor.
• Stupa No. 76 was dedicated to the Prime Minister of India in recognition of India’s support and India–Bhutan relations.
• The project aims to establish Gelephu as a global centre for Vajrayana Buddhism and promote spiritual well-being and sustainable development.

• The 20th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and the 13th ADMM-Plus were held on 28 and 29 October 2026, respectively, in Cebu, the Philippines.
• The meetings were held under the ASEAN 2026 theme “Navigating Our Future, Together” and chaired by Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr.
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh represented India and proposed an India–ASEAN Youth Bridge to strengthen people-to-people ties, digital innovation and defence cooperation.
• India and Malaysia co-chaired the ADMM-Plus Experts’ Working Group on Counter-Terrorism for the 2024–2027 cycle.
• ASEAN defence ministers issued a Joint Statement on Youth, Peace and Security, marking 50 years of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

• The Ministry of Coal organised the Annual Star Rating Awards Ceremony in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, on 2 November 2026.
• A total of 50 coal and lignite mines received Five-Star Ratings for Financial Year 2024–25.
• Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) secured the first prize in the opencast category.
• Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) secured the first prize in the underground category.
• Western Coalfields Limited received special appreciation for recording the highest number of Five-Star Rated mines among Coal India subsidiaries.

• Sabir Hossain, an innovator from Badulia village in West Bengal’s Purba Bardhaman district, received the top prize in an international award for his blood-clotting technology on 4 November 2026.
• The supplied report identifies him as an innovator in the healthcare field.
• Further details about the technology and the award are not included in the supplied material.

• A rare White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) was spotted at Okhla Bird Sanctuary on 1 November 2026.
• The sanctuary is located on the Delhi–Noida border.
• The sighting attracted the attention of naturalists, ornithologists and wildlife enthusiasts.

• Republican U.S. Representative Byron Donalds won Florida’s governor’s race on 3 November 2026, defeating Democratic nominee David Jolly.
• According to the supplied report, he will become Florida’s first Black governor.

• Indian swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu won bronze in the women’s 100-metre freestyle at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal.
• She clocked 56.27 seconds, setting a new national record.
• Croatia’s Ana Bobanovic won gold in 55.89 seconds, while New Zealand’s Alyssa Lawson won silver in 56.13 seconds.
• The result made Dhinidhi the first Indian swimmer to win a medal at the Youth Olympic Games, according to the supplied reports.

• Indian judoka Khushbu Rajakbhai won silver in the women’s 63-kg category at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar.
• She lost to Germany’s Jolina Reinhold in the final.
• The medal added to India’s achievements at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

• India won both the men’s and women’s titles at the inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship, held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, from 23 to 31 October 2026.
• The men’s team defeated Sri Lanka 54–20, while the women’s team defeated Uganda 35–15.
• The event was organised by the Amateur Kabaddi Federation of India with approval from the International Kabaddi Federation.
• The championship theme was “One Breath. One Raid. One Commonwealth.”

• India won four medals—one gold, two silver and one bronze—at the Senior World Wrestling Championships held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from 24 October to 1 November 2026.
• All four medals were won by India’s women’s freestyle wrestlers.
• Manisha Bhanwala became the first Indian woman to win gold at the Senior World Wrestling Championships.
• The United States topped the medal tally with 15 medals, followed by Iran with 15 and Russia with 14.

• Indian shuttlers Lakshya Sen and P. V. Sindhu won the men’s and women’s singles titles, respectively, at the HYLO Open 2026 in Saarbrücken, Germany.
• Sindhu defeated Denmark’s Line Højmark Kjærsfeldt 21–12, 21–14 in the women’s final.
• Lakshya Sen defeated Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie 21–17, 21–10 in the men’s final.
• Sindhu became the first Indian woman to win the HYLO Open women’s singles title, while Sen became the first Indian to win the men’s singles title twice.

• Dutch driver Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing won the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix on 1 November 2026.
• Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari finished second, while Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes finished third.
• The race was held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City.
• The supplied report also claims that Antonelli clinched his maiden Formula One World Drivers’ Championship at 20 years and 68 days. This championship claim should be independently verified before using it as a confirmed fact.

• Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell announced his retirement from international cricket in November 2026 after a 14-year career.
• He represented Australia in 149 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and 130 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).
• He scored 3,990 runs in ODIs and 2,897 runs in T20Is, and took 136 international wickets across formats.
• He won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2015 and 2023 and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2021.
• He will continue playing franchise T20 cricket for the Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, according to the supplied report.

• Eminent neurosurgeon and Padma Shri awardee Dr Ashok Kumar Mahapatra passed away in New Delhi at the age of 74 in November 2026.
• He received the Padma Shri in 2025 for his contributions to medicine.
• He served as Director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar from 2012 to 2016 and Director of SGPGIMS, Lucknow, from 2006 to 2009.
• In 2017, he led a 16-hour operation at AIIMS, New Delhi, to separate conjoined craniopagus twins Jaga and Balia from Odisha. Both children survived.
• He received the C. V. Raman Award for Scientific Excellence in 2022.

• UNESCO observes 3 November every year as the International Day for Biosphere Reserves to promote biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
• The day was proclaimed through UNESCO General Conference Resolution 41 C/37 in 2021.
• The first observance took place on 3 November 2022.
• According to the supplied material, the World Network of Biosphere Reserves had 797 sites across 145 countries in 2026.
• India has 18 notified Biosphere Reserves, of which 13 are recognised under UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves.