Current Affairs - November 21, 2025 Current Affairs

India holds the 23rd rank in the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2026, reflecting a significant drop of 13 positions from the previous year. This decline resulted largely from the country’s lack of a national coal phase-out plan, which affected its overall standing. The CCPI evaluates 63 countries along with the EU across key indicators such as greenhouse gas emissions, renewable energy adoption, energy use, and climate policy. Together, these regions account for about 90% of global emissions. India’s shift from a high to medium performer underscores the challenges it faces in accelerating its transition to cleaner energy pathways.

Parasocial was chosen as the Cambridge Dictionary Word of the Year for 2025 due to its growing relevance in modern culture. The term, first introduced in 1956 by sociologists Donald Horton and Richard Wohl, originally described the emotional connections viewers developed with television personalities. Over time, the concept has expanded to include one-sided emotional relationships people form with celebrities, online creators, fictional characters, and even AI systems. Its selection highlights the increasing impact of digital environments on human interaction, as more individuals form meaningful yet unreciprocated bonds with media figures and virtual entities.

New Delhi is the host city for the 4th edition of the Swavlamban 2025 Innovation Seminar, organised by the Naval Innovation & Indigenisation Organisation. The seminar is scheduled to begin on 26 November and is designed to bring together key stakeholders such as industry leaders, MSMEs, start-ups, and academic institutions. Its central theme, “Strength and Power through Innovation and Indigenisation,” highlights the Indian Navy’s commitment to advancing technological self-reliance and enhancing naval capabilities. The event serves as a platform to promote collaboration, accelerate innovation, and support indigenous solutions crucial for strengthening national defence preparedness.

Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus of TVS Motor, received the prestigious CII Quality Ratna Award 2025 in recognition of his transformative contributions to India’s quality movement. He played a pivotal role in introducing and championing Total Quality Management (TQM) practices across the Indian automotive sector. Under his leadership, TVS Motor became the first non-Japanese two-wheeler company to earn the Deming Prize in 2002, a global benchmark for excellence in quality. His lifelong commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and organizational improvement has significantly influenced Indian industry standards, earning him this distinguished honour.

France is the nation with which DRDO signed a technical agreement aimed at deepening defence research and development cooperation. This collaboration, established in New Delhi with France’s Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), will support the transfer of advanced equipment and technologies between the two countries. The partnership covers a wide spectrum of strategic domains, including aeronautical platforms, unmanned systems, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, advanced sensors, propulsion systems, and both space and underwater technologies. By expanding cooperation across such high-end fields, the agreement reinforces long-term technological synergy and strengthens bilateral defence capabilities.

IIT Delhi is the location where India Post introduced its first Gen Z-themed Post Office, reflecting a shift toward modernizing postal services for younger, tech-savvy users. The revamped Campus Post Office includes features such as Wi-Fi zones, vibrant graffiti and artwork created by the institute’s Fine Arts Society, and QR-based parcel booking systems that offer convenient Speed Post discounts for students. This initiative is part of a broader nationwide plan to update 46 campus Post Offices across major educational institutions, aiming to make postal facilities more appealing, accessible, and relevant to the evolving needs of today’s youth.

Taiwan is the location of Google’s largest AI hardware engineering centre outside the United States, marking a major expansion of the company’s global technological footprint. Situated in Taipei, the centre plays a crucial role in advancing AI-focused hardware development, especially through the integration of Google’s TPU processors into high-performance server systems. The initiative also reflects the deepening strategic technology partnership between the US and Taiwan. Since 2020, the engineering team in Taiwan has tripled, demonstrating Google’s long-term commitment to strengthening cloud computing, AI workloads, and data-driven infrastructure capabilities in the region.

Roger Federer is the individual scheduled for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2026. He is celebrated globally for his extraordinary tennis career, marked by 20 Grand Slam titles, 103 tour-level titles, and unmatched consistency that kept him at World No. 1 for a record 237 consecutive weeks. His influence extends beyond statistics, as he helped shape a golden era of tennis alongside Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, inspiring millions with his elegance, sportsmanship, and longevity. His induction honours his profound impact on the sport and his enduring legacy as one of tennis’s greatest champions.

Johannesburg is the host city for the 20th G20 Leaders’ Summit, which PM Narendra Modi will attend from 21–23 November. The summit marks the fourth consecutive G20 meeting held in the Global South, highlighting the increasing significance of developing regions in shaping global economic and political discussions. India will use this platform to share its priorities and perspectives on key global challenges. During the visit, PM Modi will also take part in the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Leaders’ Meeting, strengthening trilateral cooperation. The choice of Johannesburg underscores South Africa’s role as a central voice in international diplomacy.

BIRSA 101 is India’s first fully indigenous CRISPR-based gene therapy developed to treat Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), marking a major milestone in the nation’s genomic medicine capabilities. Launched by Dr. Jitendra Singh and dedicated to Birsa Munda on his 150th anniversary, the therapy represents a significant step toward India’s mission to eliminate SCD. It is designed as a low-cost alternative to global treatments that currently cost ₹20–25 crore, making advanced gene therapy accessible to a wider population. This innovation strengthens public health efforts while boosting India’s position in advanced biomedical research and healthcare technology.