Current Affairs - November 4, 2025 Current Affairs

Russia launched the nuclear-powered submarine “Khabarovsk” on November 1 at the Sevmash shipyard in Severodvinsk. The submarine is designed to carry the Poseidon Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV)—a nuclear-powered torpedo capable of traveling thousands of kilometers and reportedly carrying a warhead with a yield of about 2 megatons. Poseidon’s potential to generate large-scale radioactive tsunamis and its stealthy underwater deployment make it a key component of Russia’s strategic deterrence. The launch significantly extends Russia’s naval strike and deterrence capabilities while intensifying global security and stability concerns in maritime domains.

Jannik Sinner, the Italian tennis sensation, reclaimed the ATP World No. 1 ranking by defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets—6-4, 7-6 (4)—in the 2025 Paris Masters final. This victory marked Sinner’s first Paris Masters title and extended his impressive indoor winning streak to 26 matches. With this win, he surpassed Carlos Alcaraz in the ATP rankings, consolidating his dominance during the 2025 season. Sinner’s consistency, particularly in indoor tournaments like Vienna and Paris, showcased his exceptional form, tactical maturity, and mental resilience, cementing his position among the elite players shaping the new era of men’s tennis.

India is preparing to receive the first Taliban-appointed diplomat since the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in August 2021. This development marks a cautious reopening of diplomatic engagement between the two sides without formal recognition of the Taliban regime. The move follows Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to New Delhi in October 2025 and aligns with India’s broader strategy of maintaining humanitarian assistance and regional stability. By permitting a limited diplomatic presence, India balances its security concerns, humanitarian commitments, and geopolitical interests while preserving communication channels with Kabul amid evolving regional dynamics.

China has achieved a historic milestone by successfully performing thorium-to-uranium fuel conversion within its Thorium Molten Salt Reactor (TMSR), making it the first country in the world to do so. This breakthrough, announced on November 3, 2025, represents a major advancement in fourth-generation nuclear technology, offering safer, cleaner, and more efficient energy generation. The reactor converts thorium-232 into fissile uranium-233, enabling a sustainable thorium fuel cycle. With this success, China has demonstrated the viability of molten salt reactors and taken a leading position in the race for advanced nuclear innovation, complementing India’s ongoing thorium-based research initiatives.

Gogabeel Lake, located in the Katihar district of Bihar, has been designated as India’s newest Ramsar site, earning international recognition for its ecological and cultural significance. This ox-bow lake, formed by the meandering of rivers in the trans-Gangetic plains, is flanked by the Mahananda River in the northeast and the Ganga in the south. It supports diverse flora and fauna, serving as a vital wintering ground for migratory birds and home to species like the Smooth-Coated Otter and Helicopter Catfish. Additionally, its community involvement and cultural importance highlight the Ramsar Convention’s principle of “wise use” of wetlands.

NITI Aayog launched the “Reimagining Agriculture: A Roadmap for Frontier Technology Led Transformation” to accelerate India’s agricultural modernization through the integration of AI, digital twins, and precision farming. The initiative emphasises climate-resilient crops, sustainability, and increased farmer income by leveraging frontier technologies. It introduces a farmer segmentation model with three archetypes—Aspiring, Transitioning, and Advanced—to enable targeted interventions. By focusing on innovation and data-driven agricultural practices, the roadmap aims to enhance productivity, resource efficiency, and long-term resilience against climate challenges, marking a major policy push toward tech-enabled, inclusive agricultural growth in India.

The State Bank of India (SBI) has introduced the ‘SBI-STAR’ Awards—Staff Talent Acknowledgement & Recognition—to honour employee talents beyond professional achievements. The initiative celebrates excellence in areas such as arts, sports, literature, social work, and environmental initiatives, fostering a culture of holistic employee engagement. With over 2.45 lakh employees, SBI aims to highlight the creative, athletic, and humanitarian contributions of its staff, reinforcing its human-centric leadership approach. This annual award program promotes inclusivity, motivation, and well-being within the organization, setting a new benchmark for employee recognition in India’s public sector banking ecosystem.

IBM has partnered with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to establish a state-of-the-art Artificial Intelligence (AI) lab at AICTE headquarters. The initiative focuses on enhancing AI and data science skills among students and faculty through hands-on training, hackathons, and certified programs. It also includes a Master-Trainer Program to enable large-scale skill dissemination across India’s technical institutions. The collaboration aligns with India’s National Education Policy 2020 and National AI Strategy, as well as IBM’s global mission to promote inclusive technology education and build a future-ready digital workforce for the evolving tech ecosystem.

The Maldives has made history by enacting the world’s first generational smoking ban, effective from November 1, 2025. This law prohibits anyone born on or after January 1, 2007, from purchasing or using tobacco in any form. It applies to both citizens and tourists, covering cigarettes, vaping devices, and e-cigarettes. Retailers who violate the age verification mandate face heavy fines. By enforcing this strict regulation, the Maldives aims to create a completely smoke-free generation, prioritizing youth health and setting a global precedent after New Zealand’s repeal and the UK’s pending legislation on similar tobacco restrictions.

Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar was conferred IIT Kanpur’s Distinguished Alumnus Award, the premier recognition given by the institute to its former students for exceptional professional achievements. A 1985 B.Tech graduate in Civil Engineering from IIT Kanpur, Gyanesh Kumar has had an illustrious career in public service and governance. Instituted in 1989, this award celebrates alumni who have made significant contributions in their respective fields. The honour was presented during IIT Kanpur’s 66th Foundation Day celebrations, marking both academic excellence and leadership in public administration.

Amazon, through its cloud division Amazon Web Services (AWS), has entered a $38 billion partnership with OpenAI to enhance AI infrastructure and scalability. Announced on November 3, 2025, the agreement provides OpenAI access to AWS’s extensive cloud computing resources, including millions of CPUs and hundreds of thousands of NVIDIA GPUs. This collaboration marks one of the largest AI infrastructure deployments in history and signifies a major strategic shift for OpenAI, which previously relied exclusively on Microsoft Azure. The deal strengthens Amazon’s position as a key competitor in the global AI and cloud computing market.

The State Bank of India (SBI) achieved a major milestone by executing its first gold trade on the India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX) as a Special Category Client (SCC). This move enhances transparency and efficiency in India’s bullion market while making gold trading more accessible and cost-effective for MSME jewellers and bullion dealers. By participating in IIBX, SBI contributes to the development of GIFT City as a global financial and bullion trading hub. The initiative also aligns with the government’s vision of modernising India’s bullion ecosystem through regulated and technology-driven market practices.