Daily Current Affairs (DCA) 11 November, 2026

• India was re-elected as President of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) for the 2026–2028 term, while France was re-elected as Co-President.
• The election took place during the ISA’s 9th Session, held alongside the Bharat Renewable Energy Summit and Expo 2026 in New Delhi.
• India committed ₹225 crore (USD 25 million) to expand affordable solar energy access. ISA initiatives include the USD 200 million Africa Solar Facility and USD 300 million Nigeria Distributed Renewable Energy Fund.
• ISA aims to support the global deployment of one million solar pumps, promote solar projects in island countries and develop up to 500 MW of solar capacity in Small Island Developing States by 2030.

About ISA

• Jointly launched by India and France on 30 November 2015 during COP21 in Paris.
• Its objective is to promote solar energy adoption and international cooperation under the principle of One Sun, One World, One Grid (OSOWOG).
• It had 130 signatory and member countries as of November 2026.

• A Royal Bengal Tiger entered Odisha’s Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary through the Dechuan-Lakhanpur corridor. This is the second such tiger movement into the sanctuary in five years.
• The sanctuary covers 346.91 sq. km and is located in Bargarh district, western Odisha, near Sambalpur.
• It is bordered by the Hirakud Reservoir, built on the Mahanadi River, towards its eastern and northern sides.
• Debrigarh was notified as a wildlife sanctuary in 1985 under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. It is also an Eco-Sensitive Zone.

• The Access (In)Equality Index (AEI), 2021 ranked Goa first among Indian States and Union Territories.
• The index was published by the Centre for New Economics Studies (CNES) at O. P. Jindal Global University.
• It examines inequality in access to essential services and opportunities across different sections of society.
• Goa scored 0.67, the highest score in the index, and ranked second in access to secondary education.
• The index measures access to healthcare, education, justice, socio-economic security and basic facilities such as drinking water, sanitation, housing and clean energy.
• It considers affordability, geographical availability and quality of services, while examining differences based on gender, caste and rural–urban location.

• The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has formed two working groups to develop a Risk-Based Capital (RBC) framework aligned with Indian Accounting Standards (Ind AS).
• The groups have been given one month to prepare draft RBC regulations and an approach paper.
• Under the existing factor-based solvency system, insurers maintain capital according to fixed requirements. Under RBC, capital requirements will depend on the actual risks faced by an insurer.
• Insurers taking higher risks will need to maintain more capital, while those taking lower risks may require less. The proposed framework will use an economic balance sheet, based on current market values.

• Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) launched its IOB Digital Rupee mobile application to enable customers to make transactions using India’s Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).
• The app supports Peer-to-Peer (P2P) and Peer-to-Merchant (P2M) transactions, along with UPI interoperability.
• Its Programmable CBDC (PCBDC) facility allows government funds to be disbursed for specific purposes, supporting Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and targeted financial assistance.
• The Digital Rupee (e₹) is a digital form of currency issued by the RBI and recognised as legal tender. Its retail pilot began on 1 December 2022.

• ICICI Life Insurance launched EzyGrow, a Unit-Linked Insurance Plan (ULIP), exclusively through Policybazaar.
• The plan offers 2X and 3X Waiver of Premium benefits, under which the insurer funds twice or thrice the remaining premiums upon the death of the life assured, subject to policy conditions.
• It combines market-linked investments with life insurance protection and offers family income benefits and maturity boosters.
• The plan also provides options such as partial withdrawals and Systematic Withdrawal Plans (SWPs), subject to policy conditions. ULIPs have a five-year lock-in period in India, and investment returns are market-linked rather than guaranteed.

Context of the News

A WHO study published in The Lancet Global Health found that one in four adolescents worldwide — about 240 million — did not have a single day with at least 60 minutes of physical activity.

What Is the Study?

• By the World Health Organization
• It studied physical activity among adolescents aged 11 to 17
• Based on 389 surveys across 140 countries and territories
• Covering over 3.2 million adolescents

Important Facts for Exams

• WHO study in The Lancet Global Health, covering ages 11 to 17
• Based on 389 surveys in 140 countries, covering over 3.2 million adolescents
• One in four (240 million) had no active day at all
• Average: 2.7 active days per week
• Only 14 per cent were active on all seven days
• Gender gap: 28 per cent of girls had no active day, against 22 per cent of boys
• Daily activity: 11 per cent of girls, 17 per cent of boys
• Levels have been unchanged for 15 years
• Country-level inactivity ranges from 4 per cent to over 40 per cent
• WHO recommends 60 minutes of activity daily for children and adolescents
• WHO was founded in 1948, headquartered at Geneva. World Health Day is 7 April
• The WHO Global Action Plan on Physical Activity (2018-2030) aims to cut inactivity by 15 per cent
• India’s related programmes: Fit India Movement (2019), Khelo India, and Eat Right India

Context of the News

Delhi’s air quality fell sharply after Diwali firecrackers. Several stations recorded “severe” pollution. The official AQI was 370, while some private apps showed readings near 1,000.

What Is the AQI?

• It turns many different pollutant readings into one single number
• That number comes with a category and a colour
• The aim is to tell the public, in simple terms, how bad the air is and what it means for health

Who Made It?

What Are the Six Categories?

Which Pollutants Are Measured?

Eight in total:

• PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅ — fine dust particles
• NO₂ — nitrogen dioxide
• SO₂ — sulphur dioxide
• CO — carbon monoxide
• O₃ — ozone
• NH₃ — ammonia
• Pb — lead

Context of the News

The first-ever India-Myanmar tri-services disaster relief exercise, called RAHAT MITRA, concluded in Chennai.

What Is It?

• A bilateral exercise between India and Myanmar
• Tri-services, meaning Army, Navy and Air Force together
• On Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)
• Covering land, air and sea

Where?

• Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Context of the News

INS Surat arrived at Muscat, Oman, for the 15th edition of Exercise Naseem Al Bahr. It will be followed by a Coordinated Patrol between the two navies.

What Is It?

• A bilateral naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman
• 15th edition
• Held at Muscat, Oman

What Is the Aim?

• Strengthen naval cooperation
• Improve the ability to operate together
• Support maritime security

• According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) quarterly bulletin released by the National Statistics Office (NSO), the unemployment rate among urban youth aged 15–29 years increased to 18.9% in July–September 2026.
• This was a six-quarter high, compared with 18.2% in the previous quarter.
• The unemployment rate among urban young women rose to 26.1%, while the rate among urban young men increased to 16.5% under the Current Weekly Status (CWS) approach.
• However, the overall youth unemployment rate (rural and urban combined) declined from 15.9% to 15.3%, mainly due to a fall in rural youth unemployment from 14.7% to 13.6%.

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) released the first tranche of USD 21.6 million under its USD 108 million results-based loan to strengthen the Mizoram Universal Healthcare Scheme (MUHCS).
• The amount was transferred to the Union Ministry of Finance on 29 October 2026 after Mizoram achieved two Disbursement-Linked Indicators (DLIs). The state received ₹205.49 crore on 5 November 2026.
• Of the amount received, ₹184.93 crore (90%) is a grant, while ₹20.54 crore (10%) is a loan. The money will be deposited in the state’s Healthcare Corpus Fund.
• Launched in March 2025 and operational from 1 April 2025, MUHCS provides eligible families with cashless healthcare coverage of up to ₹5 lakh annually at government and empanelled private hospitals.

• National Legal Services Day (NLSD) is observed every year on 9 November to promote legal awareness and equal access to justice, particularly for weaker and disadvantaged sections.
• It marks the commencement of the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, which came into force on 9 November 1995.
• The Act provides free and competent legal services to eligible people who cannot afford legal representation.
• The observance was proposed by Justice A.S. Anand, then Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), during its first annual meet in 1998.

• The 1.5°C overshoot refers to a situation in which global temperatures temporarily rise above the 1.5°C limit set under the Paris Agreement.
• Some climate models suggest that temperatures could later return below 1.5°C by 2100 through large-scale Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR).
• CDR refers to removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it through methods such as direct air capture and ecosystem-based carbon storage.
• The debate raises concerns that relying on future carbon removal technologies could delay immediate emission cuts, while placing a greater burden on developing countries.

• The Government of France conferred the Knight of the National Order of Merit (Chevalier de l’Ordre national du Mérite) on Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, founder and chairman of Narayana Health.
• The award recognised his support to the French community in Bengaluru during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The honour was presented by Marc Lamy, Consul General of France in Bengaluru.
• Established on 3 December 1963 by French President Charles de Gaulle, the National Order of Merit is France’s second-highest national order after the Legion of Honour. It has five grades: Knight, Officer, Commander, Grand Officer and Grand Cross.

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah conferred the President’s Colour (Rashtrapati Ka Nishan) on Uttarakhand Police in November 2026.
• Uttarakhand became the 16th state police force in India to receive this honour.
• The ceremony coincided with the 25th anniversary of Uttarakhand’s formation on 9 November 2000.
• The President’s Colour is the highest ceremonial honour awarded to military and police units for distinguished service, discipline, valour and dedication. The Indian Navy was the first Indian armed force to receive it, on 27 May 1951.

• Filipino structural engineer Aldrei Ong won the 2026 James Dyson Global Sustainability Award for developing Sentinel, a low-cost sensor that detects hidden damage in concrete structures after earthquakes.
• Sentinel converts a conventional concrete spacer block into a sensor that detects cracks through changes in electrical resistance.
• Embedded electrodes and an electronic module send the collected data wirelessly to an online dashboard for remote monitoring.
• The competition received 2,294 entries from 28 countries and regions. The invention aims to improve building safety after earthquakes.

• The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) elected badminton player PV Sindhu as Chairperson of its Athletes’ Commission for the 2026–2030 term on 6 November 2026.
• Hockey captain Harmanpreet Singh was elected Vice-Chairperson.
• The commission has 10 elected members, comprising five male and five female athletes, serving a four-year term.
• Mirabai Chanu and Sajan Prakash were elected to represent female and male athletes, respectively, in the IOA General Assembly and will exercise voting rights in the IOA elections scheduled for 5 December 2026.

• India and France held the third India-France Strategic Space Dialogue and the first India-France Economic Security and Critical Technologies Dialogue in Paris on 10 November 2026.
• The meetings were co-chaired by India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and France’s senior foreign ministry official Martin Briens.
• The space dialogue reviewed cooperation between ISRO and France’s CNES, including commercial space activities and strategic cooperation.
• The new dialogue will focus on supply-chain security, critical technologies, cybersecurity and protection of strategic supplies.

• Indian swimmer Dhinidhi Desinghu won two bronze medals at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games held in Dakar, Senegal.
• She won bronze in the women’s 100m freestyle in 56.27 seconds, setting a new Indian national record.
• She won her second bronze in the women’s 200m freestyle on 6 November 2026.
• She became the first Indian swimmer to win a Youth Olympics medal and the first Indian athlete to win two individual medals at one edition of the Games.

• The six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) approved the establishment of an advanced headquarters for their Unified Military Command in Kuwait on 10 November 2026.
• The decision was announced after the 23rd meeting of the GCC Joint Defence Council in Manama, Bahrain.
• Appropriate military forces will be deployed at the new headquarters. Their number and composition have not yet been announced.
• The GCC consists of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The move aims to strengthen joint defence and military coordination.

• PJ.2.1, a new lineage of SARS-CoV-2, was first identified in Ontario, Canada, on 2 May 2026. It has since been detected in several countries.
• The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on 31 October 2026 about its increasing risk of global spread.
• It has been reported in countries including the United States, Canada, Spain, France, Israel, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand.
• As of 10 November, there was insufficient evidence to confirm that PJ.2.1 causes more severe illness or higher hospitalisation and death rates. Its detection in India had not been confirmed.

• Google launched two new eighth-generation Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) on 9 November 2026 to support advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) workloads.
• TPU 8tx is designed for confidential AI computing. It uses hardware-level security to protect sensitive data and AI model information while processing.
• TPU 8i Max is designed for workloads involving large documents, codebases and long AI conversations. It combines two TPU 8i chips in one package.
• The launch expands Google’s AI chip range and strengthens its effort to provide alternatives to processors used in AI data centres. Constellation Research

• Abhishek Awasthi, a person of Indian origin, was elected Mayor of the City of Greater Bendigo in Victoria, Australia, for the 2026–27 term.
• He is the first person of Indian origin to hold this position.
• He was elected unanimously by the city councillors, with Andrea Metcalf elected Deputy Mayor.
• Awasthi is 43 years old and originally hails from Mandi, Himachal Pradesh. City of Greater Bendigo

• The Pitt Rivers Museum of the University of Oxford returned the ancestral remains of 39 Naga people to representatives of the Naga community on 9 November 2026.
• The remains, mainly skulls, had been taken during British colonial rule between 1910 and 1940.
• They were formally handed over to the Forum for Naga Reconciliation and the Naga Tribe Hoho.
• The return followed a six-year community-led process. The remains are expected to be taken to Naga Solidarity Park in Kohima, Nagaland, for burial.

• Researchers discovered a new scorpion species named Liocheles similipalensis in the Similipal Tiger Reserve, Mayurbhanj district, Odisha.
• The discovery was published in the scientific journal Euscorpius.
• The scorpion measures 44–53 mm and has a glossy bluish-black body.
• It was found in rocky habitats within tropical moist deciduous forests at around 1,000 metres above sea level. It is the fourth species of the genus Liocheles recorded in India and the first in Odisha.

• World Science Day for Peace and Development is observed annually on 10 November under the auspices of UNESCO.
• The 2026 theme was “Common Ground Through Science Diplomacy”, highlighting how scientific cooperation can build trust and address shared global challenges.
• UNESCO proclaimed the day in 2001, and it was first observed on 10 November 2002.
• The observance takes place during the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033). The International Week of Science and Peace is observed from 9–15 November.

• National Entrepreneurship Day is observed on 9 November to mark the establishment of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) on the same date in 2014.
• The day recognises entrepreneurship as an important driver of employment, innovation and economic growth.
• India is the world’s third-largest startup ecosystem, with more than 2.62 lakh DPIIT-recognised startups as of November 2026, according to the supplied report.
• More than 55,200 startups were recognised during FY 2025–26, while startups had generated over 25 lakh direct jobs up to October 2026.