Current Affairs - November 24, 2025 Current Affairs

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2025 proposes placing Chandigarh under Article 240 of the Indian Constitution, marking a major shift in its governance structure. Article 240 empowers the President to frame regulations for specific Union Territories, particularly those without legislative assemblies. By including Chandigarh within its scope, the amendment aims to align the city’s administration with other UTs governed directly through Presidential regulations. This transition may also enable the appointment of an independent Administrator for Chandigarh, moving away from the longstanding arrangement where the Governor of Punjab oversees the Union Territory. The proposal carries notable administrative, constitutional, and political implications, especially concerning Centre–State relations and federal balance.

Engineers India Limited entered into a strategic MoU with Aramco Asia India to evaluate the possibility of setting up a branch office and deepen cooperation across multiple sectors. This collaboration aims to leverage Aramco’s global strengths alongside India’s expanding energy landscape, covering areas such as petrochemicals, infrastructure, and renewable energy. Through coordinated procurement, joint project execution, and long-term business planning, the partnership is expected to create new opportunities for growth. It also enhances India’s capacity to engage with major international energy players while supporting technological advancements and sustainable sectoral development.

India’s engagement with Georgia marked an important step in expanding cooperation in sericulture and textiles. During the Nov 17–21 visit, Indian representatives showcased innovations such as the “5-in-1 Silk Stole” and advancements in wild silk, reinforcing India’s position as a global silk leader. The discussions focused on improving market access, developing collaborative research, and exploring opportunities in hybrid silkworm technology. This partnership aimed to benefit both nations by enhancing knowledge-sharing and technological development. The visit also aligned with the 11th BACSA International Conference – CULTUSERI 2025, providing a platform for broader regional cooperation.

Jawed Ashraf, a seasoned former IFS officer from the 1991 batch, has been appointed as the Chairman of the India Trade Promotion Organization on a two-year contractual basis. His appointment comes after his retirement from diplomatic service, with terms structured similarly to those of re-employed Central Government officers. With extensive experience in global diplomacy, trade discussions, and international engagement, he is expected to contribute significantly toward enhancing India’s trade promotion activities. His leadership is anticipated to further strengthen ITPO’s role in facilitating global business linkages, fostering trade partnerships, and supporting India’s economic outreach initiatives.

Lakshya Sen emerged victorious at the 2025 Australian Open Super 500 in Sydney, defeating Japan’s Yushi Tanaka in straight games, 21-15, 21-11. This marked his first title of the year and his third career Super 500 win. Ranked World No. 14, Sen dominated the final with tactical precision and composure, closing the match in just 38 minutes. His journey to the title included challenging quarterfinal and semifinal matches, but he maintained focus and capitalised on his opponent’s errors in the final. This victory boosts his ranking, enhances morale, and sets a strong foundation for upcoming international tournaments.

Bharat Electronics Ltd earned the CareEdge-ESG 1 rating by demonstrating comprehensive leadership across key sustainability dimensions. Its performance reflects strong initiatives in water stewardship, emission reduction, and responsible waste management. The company’s focus on human capital development and maintaining high standards of ethical governance further contributed to its achievement. It also excelled in biodiversity preservation, energy efficiency improvements, data privacy controls, and overall ESG oversight. These combined efforts positioned it ahead of peers in the aerospace and defence sector, enabling it to secure the highest ESG rating category.

HAL entered into a strategic partnership with Germany’s HENSOLDT to enhance India’s capabilities in advanced helicopter safety technologies. The collaboration involves transfer of design, intellectual property rights, and manufacturing know-how for LiDAR-based Obstacle Avoidance and Degraded Visual Environment (DVE) systems, which are crucial for safe helicopter operations. The agreement, signed at the Dubai Air Show 2025, paves the way for joint system design, integration and rigorous testing. It also opens avenues for export in the future. By adopting such sophisticated technologies, India strengthens its indigenous aerospace ecosystem and moves closer to self-reliance in high-end aviation safety systems.

The 2nd National Economic Growth Summit 2025 took place in Mumbai, where BEML earned significant recognition for its performance and brand leadership. During this event, BEML’s CMD, Shantanu Roy, received the Business Leader of the Year (Manufacturing) award for enhancing competitiveness, integrating advanced technologies, and driving overall growth. The organisation was also honoured with the ‘Best Brand of the Year’ award, reflecting its strong presence across rail, defence, and mining sectors. The venue played a key role as the summit brought together influential leaders, providing a platform for organisations like BEML to showcase their achievements.

Justice Surya Kant assumed office as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on November 24, 2025, in a ceremony administered by President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. With a distinguished judicial career spanning decades, he has served in key positions including Chief Justice of the Himachal Pradesh High Court and judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court before his elevation to the Supreme Court in 2019. His tenure is set to run until February 2027. He is known for his involvement in several landmark constitutional cases, advocacy for judicial reforms, and emphasis on enhancing access to justice through technology, mediation, and institutional strengthening.

L&T secured the responsibility to build the BvS10 Sindhu all-terrain armoured vehicles for the Indian Army through a collaboration with BAE Systems. The project will be indigenised at L&T’s Hazira Armoured Systems Complex, ensuring that advanced manufacturing capabilities support domestic defence production. With BAE Hägglunds providing technical support, the programme includes integrated logistics support and provisions for future upgrades. These vehicles are designed for diverse terrains, including high-altitude regions, deserts, marshlands and amphibious environments. The partnership strengthens India's defence manufacturing ecosystem while enhancing the Army’s operational mobility across challenging landscapes.

The ACITI Partnership brings together India, Australia, and Canada to enhance collaboration in critical and emerging technologies, green innovation, and resilient supply chains. This trilateral initiative aims to leverage the combined technological strengths and strategic priorities of the three nations. By focusing on green energy solutions, responsible AI development, and diversification of critical mineral supply chains, the partnership supports broader goals of sustainability and net-zero emissions. It also promotes joint research, innovation-driven cooperation, and coordinated policy frameworks. The initiative represents a long-term vision for technological progress, economic resilience, and shared global leadership in addressing future challenges.

India secured a landmark achievement by winning the first-ever Blind Women’s T20 World Cup 2025, held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The team showcased exceptional skill and determination, successfully chasing Nepal’s target of 115 runs in just 12 overs and winning by seven wickets. This historic victory highlights India’s growing prominence in inclusive and disability sports, reinforcing its commitment to promoting equal opportunities for athletes with visual impairments. The triumph also sets a strong foundation for future international competitions, increased visibility for blind women’s cricket, and expanded support systems such as infrastructure, tournaments, and sponsorships that can further elevate the sport globally.

IIM Ranchi earned international recognition by receiving the prestigious AMBA accreditation, placing it among the top 2% of business schools worldwide. This accreditation reflects excellence in curriculum innovation, teaching quality, student learning experience, and career outcomes. Additionally, the institute was awarded 4 Palmes of Excellence in the Eduniversal Best Business Schools Ranking 2025, signifying significant international influence and growing global engagement. These achievements highlight IIM Ranchi’s commitment to developing globally competent leaders and expanding its international collaborations, while maintaining a strong reputation within India’s competitive management education landscape.

Indonesia achieved a major public health milestone when WHO declared the end of its type-2 polio outbreak. This success followed extensive immunisation efforts, including the administration of more than 60 million vaccine doses, multiple nOPV2 campaigns, and strengthened routine immunisation. The rollout of the hexavalent vaccine and the improvement of IPV coverage from 63% to 73% in 2024 played an important role. Although the government continues to highlight risks in areas with low vaccination coverage, the achievement reinforces the Western Pacific region’s broader polio-free status and demonstrates Indonesia’s commitment to disease prevention and strong public health systems.