Current Affairs – November 12, 2025

{GS2 – Polity – Bodies – Constitutional} CAG’s New Centralised Audit Cadres *

Context (TH): CAG of India has approved the creation of two specialised cadres, the Central Revenue Audit and Central Expenditure Audit cadres under the Indian Audit & Accounts Department (IA&AD).

About the New Reforms

Objective: To ensure domain expertise, uniform auditing standards, and efficient manpower utilisation across ministries and departments.
Central Revenue Audit (CRA) Cadre: To focus on audits of Central receipts, including direct and indirect taxes, customs, and non-tax revenues.
Central Expenditure Audit (CEA) Cadre: To specialise in auditing Central Government expenditure and budgetary performance.
Workforce Integration: The two cadres will consolidate over 4,000 audit professionals from various dispersed State Audit offices under a centralised command structure.

About Comptroller and Auditor General of India

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India is a constitutional authority (Article 148) responsible for auditing all receipts and expenditures of the Union and State Governments.
The Indian Audit and Accounts Department (IA&AD) is CAG’s operational arm, employing over 42,000 personnel across the country.
He/she is the guardian of the public purse of the Union of India (the Centre and the states).

Read More > CAG

{GS2 – IR – Bilateral Relations} India-Bhutan Bilateral Relations **

Context (IE): PM Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu-II hydropower project during his official state visit to Bhutan.

PM Modi also attended the 70^th birthday celebrations of Jigme Singye Wangchuck, the revered Fourth King and father of the current monarch.

Punatsangchhu-II Hydropower Project

The Punatsangchhu-II is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric power project currently under construction in Central Bhutan.
- River Location: It is located on the right bank of the Punatsangchhu River.
Funding Model: The project is fully financed by the Government of India with a 30% grant and a 70% loan agreement.
Installed Capacity: With a total installed capacity of 1,020 MW, it will increase Bhutan’s overall power generation capacity by nearly 40%.

Evolution of India-Bhutan Relations

Treaty of Punakha (1910): Made Bhutan a protected state of British India, allowing Britain to control its foreign policy and defence affairs during regional unrest.
Treaty of Peace and Friendship (1949): Recognized Bhutan’s sovereignty and established perpetual peace and friendship. Bhutan agreed to be guided by India in external affairs.
Agreement on Trade, Commerce and Transit (1972): Created a free trade regime and allowed duty-free movement of Bhutan’s exports and imports through India.
Agreement on Cooperation in Hydropower (2006): Provided a framework for India to support Bhutan’s hydropower projects and facilitate the import of surplus electricity.
Revised India–Bhutan Friendship Treaty (2007): Ended the 1949 guidance clause and reaffirmed equal partnership based on mutual interests.

Significance of Bhutan for India

Strategic Buffer: Bhutan’s position between India and China acts as a protective buffer for India’s northern borders and security interests.
Siliguri Corridor: Its proximity to the Siliguri Corridor helps India safeguard its critical land link to the northeastern states.
Policy Anchor: Strong ties with Bhutan support India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy through cooperation in trade, infrastructure, and security.
Reliable Partner: Bhutan remains India’s most trusted regional ally, ensuring lasting strategic cooperation and mutual stability.
Diplomatic Alignment: Bhutan’s alignment with India in regional and global forums strengthens India’s diplomatic influence and balances China’s growing presence.

Challenges in India-Bhutan Relations

Chinese Engagement: China’s increasing border talks and infrastructure projects challenge India’s traditional strategic influence in Bhutan.
Economic Diversification: Bhutan’s efforts to diversify its economy and seek new partners may lead to policy differences over trade and investment priorities.
Connectivity Constraints: The mountainous terrain and limited road and rail networks hinder trade and regional integration, while environmental concerns delay new connectivity projects.
Perception Gap: A section of the Bhutanese view India’s dominant role as overbearing, reinforcing the perception of India as a ‘big brother’.
Border Security: Despite joint operations like ‘All Clear’ (2003-04), insurgent groups still exploit the porous border areas as temporary hideouts.

{GS3 – IE – Development} India’s Development Cooperation

Context (ORF): India has evolved from being a major aid recipient to a proactive development partner, championing South–South Cooperation (SSC) through inclusive capacity-building models.

Current Status of India’s Development Cooperation

India–UN Development Partnership Fund: Established in 2017 under UNOSSC, with India committing US$150 million over 10 years; has supported 85+ projects across 65 countries.
Geographical Priority: Targets Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
India–UN Global Capacity-Building Initiative (2025): Enhances training, knowledge exchange, and institutional learning to complement project-based funding.
Focus Sectors: Renewable energy, digital infrastructure, climate-resilient agriculture, women-led enterprises, and ecosystem restoration.
Demand-Driven Model: Projects proposed by partner governments, ensuring national ownership.
Implementation Approach: Collaboration with UN agencies ensures transparency and scalability.

United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was established to promote, coordinate and support South-South and triangular cooperation globally and within the United Nations system.

Significance of India’s Distinct Model of South–South Cooperation

Blended Financing: Combines grants and technical expertise, ensuring sustainability.
Knowledge Transfer: Draws on India’s domestic successes, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), renewable energy missions, and Agri-innovation ecosystems.
Global Credibility: The Fund has become a flagship model of equitable, evidence-based cooperation, endorsed during India’s G20 Presidency (2023).
Principled Partnership: Focuses on solidarity, not leverage, guided by Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (“The world is one family”).

Challenges in India’s Development Cooperation Framework

Fragmented Coordination: Absence of a centralised monitoring authority across. E.g. NITI Aayog’s 2024 review found overlap among 30+ ongoing capacity-building initiatives.
Impact Measurement Deficit: No real-time results dashboard linking projects to SDGs or social impact outcomes. E.g. 40% of funded projects lack consolidated evaluation reports (MEA 2025).
Resource Constraints: India’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) outflows (~$2.6 billion in 2024) remain modest compared to China or Japan, constraining scale.
Regional Complexity: Political sensitivities in South Asia and Africa occasionally slow implementation or create duplication with other donor programs.
Limited Private Sector Integration: Only 12–15% of India’s development cooperation projects involve private-sector participation, compared to 40–45% in OECD countries (OECD Development Report, 2024)
Low Documentation: India allocates less than 0.5% of its total development assistance budget to public communication and evaluation, whereas OECD donors allocate around 3–5% (NITI Aayog Review, 2024)

Way Forward

Institutionalise Coordination: Establish a National Development Cooperation Authority (NDCA) to unify capacity-building initiatives. E.g. Japan’s JICA for coherent strategy and impact alignment.
Real-Time Impact Dashboard: Consolidate project data, SDG linkages, and outcome mapping for transparency similar to UNDP’s Data Futures Platform, enabling open-access accountability.
Regional Scaling: Replicate successful pilots across geographies like Pacific renewable projects in Africa, and East African climate-smart agriculture in South Asia.
Evaluation and Communication: Commission independent reviews and build an India Development Cooperation Portal showcasing global good practices.
Deepen Multilateral Linkages: Collaborate with BIMSTEC, African Union (Agenda 2063), and Pacific Islands Forum to institutionalise cross-regional cooperation.

{GS3 – Envi – Conservation} National Biodiversity Authority Releases ABS Funds

Context (NOA): The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) released ₹43.22 lakh in patent-linked Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) funds to reward biodiversity contributors.

These funds were generated from Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) applications that used Indian biological resources for commercial or research purposes.
The funds will be distributed to local communities, with Andhra Pradesh getting the largest share.

IPR: They are legal rights granting creators exclusive control over the use, reproduction, and commercialisation of their intellectual works for a specified period.

ABS refers to the framework that governs how genetic resources are accessed and how the benefits from their use are equitably shared between users and providers.
It is a core principle of the Nagoya Protocol (2010), an international agreement under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
Implementation: Through a three-tier mechanism under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, involving the NBA, State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs), and local Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs).

About National Biodiversity Authority (NBA)

NBA is a statutory autonomous body created in 2003 under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
Based in Chennai, it functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
It regulates access to biological resources, monitors benefit-sharing compliance, and provides policy advice to the Central Government. It holds the power of a civil court

Read More > Access and Benefit Sharing Rules | NBA

{GS3 – Envi – Pollution} Citizen Protest Over Toxic Air as Delhi’s AQI Turns ‘Severe’ *

Context (IE | TH ): A peaceful citizen protest was held at India Gate, New Delhi, against the worsening air pollution levels as the city’s overall Air Quality Index (AQI) deteriorated to the ‘Severe’ category.

The alarming situation prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to invoke Stage-III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) across the National Capital Region (NCR).

Key Issues Highlighted by Protesters

Air quality in Delhi has reached hazardous levels, making breathing a survival act, particularly for children, the elderly, and asthma patients.
Citizens expressed that the right to clean air is a basic right, not a privilege.
Despite being peaceful and non-political, protesters were detained and prevented from moving by barricades, indicating a shrinking democratic space for environmental activism.

About Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP)

GRAP is a region-specific emergency action framework to control air pollution in Delhi-NCR, prescribing graded measures based on the severity of air quality.
It classifies actions under four stages: Poor (AQI 201–300), Very Poor (301–400), Severe (401–450), and Severe Plus (above 450), with escalating restrictions at each level.
The plan includes coordinated steps such as vehicular restrictions, dust control, curbing industrial emissions, and promoting public transport.

Key Measures Under GRAP Stage-III

Ban on construction and demolition activities across Delhi-NCR to curb dust pollution.
Prohibition on BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad, and Gautam Buddha Nagar.
Shift to hybrid learning mode for students up to Class V in Delhi and the above NCR districts.
Continuation of restrictions under Stage-I (Poor) and Stage-II (Very Poor) categories already in force.

{GS3 – S&T – Issues} Struggle to Produce Indian Nobel Laureates

Context (IE): India has not produced a Nobel laureate in science in nearly a century, despite a vast scientific talent base and expanding research network.

Current Status of Indian Science and R&D

Low Research Investment: India’s R&D expenditure remains at 0.7% of GDP, far below China (2.4%), Japan (3.3%), and South Korea (4.9%) (UNESCO, 2023).
Public-Dominated Research: Over 80% of total R&D spending comes from government sources, while the private sector’s share remains under 15% (DST, 2024).
Talent Drain: India contributes nearly 10% of global STEM graduates, yet loses thousands of researchers annually to advanced ecosystems abroad.
Publication–Innovation Gap: India ranks 3rd globally in research output but only 36th in citation impact (Scopus, 2024), reflecting a focus on volume, not value.
Fragmented Institutions: The country hosts over 1,400 R&D institutions, but many operate in silos with limited inter-agency collaboration

Barriers to Scientific Excellence in India

Opaque Recruitment: Hiring in major research institutions lacks transparency, with reports of regional bias and patronage overshadowing merit-based selection (CAG, 2022).
Weak Research Infrastructure: Equipment shortages and maintenance delays, especially in universities, result in under-utilisation of up to 40% of laboratory capacity (NITI Aayog, 2023).
Leadership Deficit: Top posts in bodies like the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and Department of Biotechnology (DBT) often remain vacant for long periods (Parliamentary Committee, 2020).
Overlapping Governance: The 2021 NITI Aayog Science and Technology Index found overlapping mandates among agencies, causing duplication and underutilisation of research grants.

Way Forward

Younger Leadership: Reserve half of top posts – Directors, Vice-Chancellors, and Secretaries of DST/DBT/CSIR – for mid-career scientists (40–50 years), replicating the reformist model once led by Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai.
Higher R&D Spending: Raise research outlay to 3% of GDP as envisaged in STIP-2020, with separate funds for basic sciences, clean energy, and space technology to build global-scale labs.
Industry Collaboration: Provide tax credits and grants for companies partnering with public labs – similar to the ISRO-L&T and DRDO-Tata Advanced Systems models to scale applied research.
Outcome-based evaluation: Under the National Research Foundation (NRF), rank institutions by patents, technology transfers, and societal impact instead of publication count.

Read More About Nation Building Through Science & Innovation

{GS3 – S&T – Space} Aditya L1 Observes Coronal Mass Ejection *

Context (TH): The VELC onboard Aditya-L1 has enabled the first spectroscopic observation of a coronal mass ejection (CME) in the visible wavelength range.

Scientists from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) and NASA have collaborated to estimate the key parameters of the observed CME.

VELC: The Visible Emission Line Coronagraph is the primary and largest payload on board Aditya-L1, developed by IIA and ISRO.
Aditya-L1 Mission: It is India’s first dedicated solar mission aimed at studying the Sun’s outer atmosphere and emissions. It is positioned in a halo orbit around the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point 1 (L1).
Lagrange Point: It is a position where the gravitational forces of two large bodies, like the Sun and the Earth, balance the centrifugal force on a smaller object, allowing it to stay stable.

About Coronal Mass Ejections

A coronal mass ejection (CME) is a massive release of hot, magnetised gas and charged particles from the Sun’s outer layer, the corona.
Cause: It occurs when magnetic field lines on the Sun abruptly break and reconnect, releasing a significant amount of energy that sends material into space.
Effect on Earth: CMEs directed toward Earth can cause geomagnetic storms, disrupting satellites, power grids, and communications; they can also create auroras.

Key Findings and Parameters

Electron Density: The CME contained about 370 million electrons per cubic centimetre—much higher than the 10–100 million in the normal corona.
Energy: Its energy was estimated at 9.4 × 10^21 joules, which significantly exceeds the energy of WWII atomic bombs.
Mass and Speed: The CME had a mass of about 270 million tonnes and an initial velocity of 264 km/sec, with plasma temperatures reaching nearly 1.8 million Kelvin.

Read More > Aditya L-1 Mission

{Prelims – PIN Africa} Lake Turkana

Context (NS): A recent study found that changes in Lake Turkana’s water levels affected fault movement and magma generation, showing a direct link between climate change and tectonic processes.

Key Findings of the Study

Climate-Rift Link: Climate change–driven shifts in Lake Turkana’s water levels directly influenced crustal pressure and earthquake activity in the East African Rift Valley.
Dry-Phase Unloading: During dry periods, falling lake levels reduce water pressure, letting faults move faster and causing more earthquakes.
- Magma Uplift: Reduced surface pressure lets magma melt and rise faster, triggering more earthquakes and eruptions.
Wet-Phase Stability: In wetter periods, added water weight presses the crust down, slowing fault slips and reducing earthquake frequency.
Geological Evidence: Geological records show faster fault slips and stronger earthquakes after 5,000 years ago, when the region became drier.

About Lake Turkana

Lake Turkana is the world’s largest permanent desert lake and the largest alkaline lake, mainly situated in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley. Its northern end extends into Ethiopia.
World Heritage Site: Known as the “Jade Sea” for its turquoise colour, its basin was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997
Hominin Site: The Turkana Basin is a significant paleoanthropological site, often referred to as the “Cradle of Humankind” due to numerous hominin fossil discoveries.
River Flow: Three rivers, Omo, Turkwel, and Kerio, feed the lake, with the Omo River contributing nearly 90% of the total inflow.
Nile Crocodile: It has the world’s largest breeding colony of Nile crocodiles, concentrated on its Central and South Islands.

{Prelims – S&T} DNA Pioneer James Watson

Context (TH): Nobel laureate James Watson, who co-discovered the double-helix structure of DNA, has recently died.

He received the 1962 Nobel Prize with Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins for discovering DNA’s structure and self-duplication mechanism.

About DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a molecule that contains genetic instructions essential for growth, reproduction, and biological functions in all living organisms.
It is the hereditary material passed from parents to offspring, forming life’s unique genetic blueprint.
Structure: DNA has a double-helix shape like a twisted ladder. Its sides have sugar and phosphate molecules, and the rungs are made of four nitrogen bases—adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine.
Location: In eukaryotes, DNA is found in the nucleus and mitochondria, whereas in prokaryotes, it exists as circular chromosomal DNA in the cytoplasm..
Function: Specific DNA segments known as genes guide the production of proteins that regulate traits and body functions.
Key Applications: DNA fingerprinting aids forensic and paternity tests; sequencing helps diagnose genetic disorders, supports evolutionary studies, and improves precision medicine.

Read More > Nucleic acids – DNA and RNA | DNA Analysis

{Prelims – Diseases} Rift Valley Fever

Context (TH): WHO has confirmed a Rift Valley Fever outbreak in Mauritania & Senegal, West Africa.

About Rift Valley Fever

It is a viral zoonotic disease caused by a Phlebovirus (Phenuiviridae family).
It affects livestock such as sheep, goats, and cattle, and humans are mostly infected via Mosquito bites or direct contact with infected animal fluids.
No human-to-human transmission confirmed so far.
RVF is a notifiable animal disease under the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).
90% of cases, RVF presents with mild flu-like illness (fever, headache, muscle pain).
Treatment: No specific antiviral treatment is currently effective.
- No licensed human vaccine exists, but animal vaccines are better used between outbreaks.

{Prelims – Defence} India’s Defence Manufacturing Landscape

Context (NOA): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated the Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) Bhavan in New Delhi and highlighted the central role of DPSUs in India’s defence manufacturing.

Record Output: Defence production hit an all-time high of ₹1.51 lakh crore in FY 2024-25, marking an 18% growth over FY 2023-24 and nearly doubling since FY 2019-20.
- Sectoral Contribution: DPSUs accounted for 71.6% of total output, while the private sector contributed 23%.
Export Record: Defence exports increased to ₹23,622 crore in FY 2024-25, marking a 12% rise from the previous year.
- DPSU Export: DPSUs contributed ₹8,389 crore to total exports, a 43% increase year-on-year.

India has 16 Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) under the Ministry of Defence, including seven companies formed by corporatising the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) in 2021.

Read More> India’s Defence Modernisation

{Prelims – Exercises} Mitra Shakti-XI

Context (PIB): The 11^th edition of the India–Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise, “Mitra Shakti-XI – 2025”, has begun at the Foreign Training Node in Karnataka, India.

Objective: To improve coordination and strengthen joint sub-conventional operations under the United Nations mandate.
Representation: The exercise involves Indian troops from the RAJPUT Regiment and Sri Lankan troops from the GAJABA Regiment, along with Air Force personnel from both countries.
Focus Areas: Includes counter-terrorism operations, heliborne raids, drone deployment, counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) operations, Army Martial Arts Routine (AMAR), and yoga.
Significance: The exercise enhances India–Sri Lanka defence cooperation, deepens bilateral relations, and promotes regional peace and stability.

Read More > India-Sri Lanka Relations

{Prelims – Awards} National Water Awards 2024

Context (PIB): The Ministry of Jal Shakti has announced the winners of the 6^th National Water Awards for the year 2024.
The awards were instituted in 2018 to recognise exceptional efforts in water conservation and management across the country.
Objective: To raise public awareness about the importance of water and promote community participation towards a “Jal Samridh Bharat” (Water-Prosperous India).
Categories: The 2024 edition featured 10 categories, recognising states, individuals, institutions, panchayats, industries, and non-governmental organisations.
Key Winners: A total of 46 winners were announced.
- Best State: Maharashtra secured the first prize, with Gujarat in second place and Haryana in third.
- Best Urban Local Body: Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation, Maharashtra.
- Best Village Panchayat: Dubbiganipalli (Andhra Pradesh) and Payam (Kerala) won jointly.

{Prelims} One Liners

In News – COP32 in Ethiopia (DDN): Ethiopia will host the 32^nd Conference of the Parties (COP32) to the UNFCCC in 2027. The COP presidency & venue rotate among five UN-recognised regional groups: Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central and Eastern Europe, and Western Europe & Others.