Current Affairs – November 23, 2025

{GS1 – Geo} Venezuela Seeks Cooperation on Critical Minerals

Context (TH): Venezuela expressed a strong interest in collaborating with India on critical minerals to expand its economic engagements beyond the oil sector.

About Critical Minerals

Critical minerals are metallic or non-metallic elements that are vital for a country’s economic growth and national security, but whose supply chains are susceptible to disruption.
National Lists: Countries compile their own specific critical mineral lists; India has identified 30 critical minerals, including nickel, titanium, vanadium, tungsten, and others.
Importance: They support India’s clean energy transition by facilitating EV batteries and solar panel manufacturing, which are crucial for achieving the national Net-Zero target by 2070.
Policy Framework: India has implemented the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) under the Ministry of Mines to ensure a secure and sustainable supply of these minerals.

About Venezuela

Location: Venezuela is situated on the northern coast of South America.
Borders: It borders the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to the north, Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the southwest and west.
Geographical Features: The Andes, the expansive grassland plains (Llanos), the Guiana Highlands, and the Caribbean coast. It hosts the world’s highest waterfall, Angel Falls.
Resources: It has the world’s largest oil reserves and significant natural gas and mineral deposits.

{GS2 – Governance} New Digital System for Public Distribution Systems

Context (PIB): The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, launched digital systems to enhance India’s food storage, logistics, and Public Distribution Systems (PDS).

A modern steel‑based hub silo complex (integrated system of large cylindrical storages) was also inaugurated in Malout, Punjab, to improve scientific grain storage and reduce post-harvest losses.

Key Digital Initiatives Launched

Bhandaran 360: A cloud-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system for the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) that links external systems like FCI and NAFED, improving digital connectivity.

An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is software that integrates and manages key functions such as finance, HR, manufacturing, supply chain, and procurement to streamline daily operations.

Anna Darpan: A microservices-based cloud platform for integrated, mobile-first operations to streamline the Food Corporation of India’s (FCI) supply chain activities from procurement to sales.
Smart EXIM: An AI- and IoT-enabled automation system that manages gate control and inventory processes, enhancing efficiency across CWC facilities.
ASHA Platform: A platform that uses multilingual AI to facilitate feedback and grievance registration for PDS beneficiaries via automated calls in their native language.

About Public Distribution System

It is India’s primary food security system under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, to ensure affordable access to essential commodities for vulnerable groups.
It operates through a vast network of Fair Price Shops (FPSs), commonly referred to as ration shops.
Objectives: to provide food and nutritional security, stabilise prices of essential commodities, alleviate poverty, and manage buffer stocks.
Implementation Structure: The Centre manages procurement, storage, transport, and allocation, while States oversee beneficiary identification, ration cards, and Fair Price Shop supervision.

Read More> PDS

Context (BS): A 2025 Lancet study found India recording the world’s highest prevalence of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) among patients undergoing a standard endoscopic procedure.

Key Findings of the Lancet Study

India recorded the highest global prevalence of MDROs, with 83.1% of patients carrying at least one superbug (compared to 31.5% in Italy, 20.1% in the US, and 10.8% in the Netherlands).
Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria were found in 70.2% of Indian patients, making several commonly used antibiotics ineffective.
Carbapenem-Resistant Organisms (CROs) were detected in 23.5% of patients, and Carbapenem-Producing Enterobacterales (CPE) were virtually absent in the Netherlands.

Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase (ESBL) & Carbapenem Resistance

ESBL-producing bacteria can render many common antibiotics, such as penicillins and cephalosporins, ineffective, making routine treatments less effective.
Carbapenem-resistant organisms go a step further and resist carbapenems, which are last-resort antibiotics used in critical infections.

Drivers Behind India’s High MDRO Burden

OTC Antibiotic Misuse: Over 50% of antibiotic sales in India occur without prescription (CDDEP, 2023), leading to self-medication and incomplete dosing that accelerates resistance.
Weak Stewardship: Only ~15–20% of Indian tertiary hospitals have functional Antimicrobial Stewardship Programmes (AMSP), despite ICMR’s guidelines for mandatory adoption.
Poor Infection Control: Nearly 70–80% of hospitals/clinics lack advanced effluent treatment systems (CSE audits), enabling resistant organisms to spread through wastewater.
Agriculture & Livestock Use: India is among the top 5 global consumers of antibiotics in animals; poultry studies show up to 60–70% samples containing antibiotic residues or resistant strains.
Diagnostic Gaps: <30% of infections in Indian hospitals undergo culture testing (ICMR), pushing doctors toward empirical and often unnecessary broad-spectrum antibiotic use.

{GS2 – IR} Iran’s Crypto Push With BRICS

Context (TH): Iran is now exploring cryptocurrencies and blockchain-based trade settlements with BRICS partners, aiming to minimise reliance on the U.S. dollar-centric financial system.

In August 2025, EU nations triggered the snapback mechanism, reactivating global sanctions over Iran’s alleged uranium enrichment, adding to long-standing U.S. sanctions since 1979.

Snapback Mechanism: Provision under the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA) that allows automatic reinstatement of UN sanctions if Iran is accused of non-compliance, bypassing UNSC veto and enabling quick re-imposition by any participant state.

Strategic Significance of Iran’s Move

Sanctions Circumvention: Cryptos offer non-SWIFT, decentralised payment rails for essential imports/exports, reducing exposure to U.S.–EU tracking and freezing.
Support for De-Dollarisation: Aligns with BRICS efforts to diversify global currency dominance by reducing USD dependence in trade and reserves.
Trade Continuity: Helps stabilise foreign trade in energy, metals, machinery & pharma, cushioning the economy against repeated financial blockades.
Geopolitical Signalling: Demonstrates technological and diplomatic defiance, building alternative multipolar financial pathways beyond Western systems.

Diplomatic & Economic Implications for India

Neutral–Cautious Stance: India clarified “de-dollarisation is not part of its financial agenda” (MEA, Aug 2025), keeping distance from crypto-based settlement proposals.
Regulatory Constraints: RBI-FEMA rules restrict cross-border crypto settlements; India focuses instead on CBDC (Digital Rupee) experimentation for future trade.
Energy & Trade Consideration: While Iran is a traditional oil & urea partner, crypto-based bilateral trade may conflict with India–U.S. strategic alignment.
Security Risks: Unregulated crypto networks could expose India to FATF, AML & sanctions-linked risks.

About BRICS

Origin: The Term BRIC was coined in 2001 by economist Jim O’Neill (Goldman Sachs) to describe four economies: Brazil, Russia, India, and China. South Africa joined the bloc in 2010.
Recent Expansion (2023): Iran, Egypt, Ethiopia, UAE joined; Saudi Arabia was invited but did not formally accede.
Objectives: Strengthen multipolarity, local-currency trade, development finance, and reduce over-reliance on Western-led institutions & USD system.
Economic & Demographic Weight: Represents ~45% of global population and ~37.3% of global GDP (PPP) vs G7 ≈29.3% & EU ≈14.5%.

Read More> BRICS

{GS3 – Agri} Natural Farming in India

Context (PIB): PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the South India Natural Farming Summit 2025 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

The Summit aims to promote eco-friendly, natural farming and to accelerate the transition towards a climate-smart, regenerative agriculture in India.

About Natural Farming

Natural farming is a chemical-free, sustainable method that relies on on-farm biological processes instead of synthetic external inputs.
It embodies the “do-nothing farming” philosophy of Japanese farmer Masanobu Fukuoka, emphasising minimal human intervention.
Need: Natural farming promotes climate resilience by improving soil health, conserving water, increasing biodiversity, and reducing agriculture’s overall carbon footprint.
Benefits: Using locally available inputs lowers production costs and increases farm profitability while producing healthier, chemical-free produce.
Challenges: Lower yields, weak certification systems, inadequate farmer training, poor pest-management capabilities, and weak market linkages limit adoption.

Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Kerala lead in the adoption and promotion of natural farming practices in India.

Key Government Initiatives

NMNF: The National Mission on Natural Farming, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2024, is the primary initiative to promote chemical-free agriculture nationwide.
- More than 10 lakh (1 million) farmers have enrolled under the mission.
BPKP: The Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Paddhati, once a sub-scheme of the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), promoted traditional practices; now it is part of the NMNF.

The PKVY promotes certified organic farming through a cluster-based approach, offering farmers financial support for certification and infrastructure.

Namami Gange: The Namami Gange Programme promotes natural farming within a 5-km corridor along both sides of the Ganga River basin to decrease chemical runoff into the river.

{GS3 – S&T} Indigenous Gene-Editing Tool Based on TnpB Protein

Context (IE | AFS): Indian scientists at ICAR-CRRI have developed a patented gene-editing tool using TnpB proteins, providing an indigenous alternative to the globally patented CRISPR-Cas systems.

About the New Indigenous Gene-Editing System (TnpB)

Molecular Scissors: Uses Transposon-associated TnpB proteins, functioning like Cas9/Cas12a to precisely cut DNA at targeted gene sites.
Hyper-compact Size: TnpB proteins have ~400–500 amino acids, far smaller than Cas9 (1,000–1,400 aa).
Better Delivery: Due to compactness, TnpB can be delivered via viral vectors directly into cells, avoiding tissue-culture-based delivery and reducing cost and complexity.
Source: Uses TnpB (408 aa) derived from the extremophile bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans.

India’s Need for an Indigenous Gene-Editing System

High Costs: Heavy reliance on imported biotech tools raises development costs and slows Agri-innovation. E.g. CRISPR licensing can add 10–20% extra cost to GE crop commercialisation.
Strategic Autonomy: Indigenous TnpB enables Atmanirbhar Bharat by eliminating foreign IP barriers and empowering public-sector-led gene-editing programmes.
Foreign Control: Foreign CRISPR platforms require commercial licensing fees, delaying India’s GE crop release. E.g. ICAR’s CRISPR-edited stress-tolerant rice cannot be planted until licensing terms are settled.

About Gene Editing

Gene editing modifies the plant’s existing native genes by making precise cuts at targeted DNA sites using a protein (scissors) and a guide RNA (navigator).
It does not introduce foreign DNA; instead, it creates mutations similar to natural variations, making the technology more precise, faster, and easier to regulate.

Key Differences with Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs)

Native DNA: GMOs introduce foreign genes from other species; gene editing modifies only the plant’s own genes without adding external DNA.
Regulatory Burden: GMOs face stringent, expensive regulation; gene-edited crops often pass through simpler, faster approval pathways.
Technology Approach: GMOs rely on transgenic insertion; gene editing uses CRISPR/TnpB to achieve precise site-specific edits.
Commercial Landscape: GMO deployment dominated by large corporations; gene editing enables public-sector and small research institutions to create new varieties.

Read More> Gene-Editing Therapy

{Prelims – S&T} ‘BIRSA 101’ Gene Therapy

Context (PIB | TIE): India launched its first indigenous ‘CRISPR’ based gene therapy called ‘BIRSA 101’ for Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), which particularly affects India’s tribal population.

‘BIRSA 101’ is named after Bhagwan Birsa Munda, the great tribal freedom fighter, coinciding with his 150^th birth anniversary.

Gene Therapy: Technique that treats or prevents diseases by adding, removing, or altering genes inside a patient’s cells to correct faulty genetic functions.
CRISPR: Stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats; a genome-editing system that uses guide RNA and the CAS enzyme to cut and modify DNA with high precision.

Read More> CRISPR I Gene Therapy

About ‘BIRSA 101’

Indigenous Platform: India’s first CRISPR-based gene therapy, developed at Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-Institute of Genomics & Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB).
- It is a significant step towards creating a Sickle Cell–Free India by 2047 and supporting the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat in frontline healthcare technologies.
Cost Advantage: Designed to replace expensive overseas gene therapies (often costing ₹20–25 crore), enabling low-cost domestic treatment through Serum Institute of India manufacturing.
Target Population: Prioritises India’s high-burden tribal regions of Central & Eastern India, where SCD prevalence can exceed 10–40% in some groups.

About Sickle Cell Disease (SCD)

A group of genetic disorders caused by an abnormality in HBB gene which codes for Haemoglobin. When both parents carry the sickle cell trait, their child has a significant chance of being born with it.
Normally Red Blood Cells (RBCs) are flexible disc-shaped cells that move easily through blood vessels. In SCD, RBCs become crescent or sickle-shaped, can’t move easily & thus can block the blood flow.
India bears the world’s second-largest burden of SCD disproportionately affecting its tribal population due to high genetic prevalence in these communities & marrying within the tribes.

Read More > Sickle Cell Disease

{Prelims – S&T} BvS10 Sindhu Armoured Vehicle *

Context (TH | JN): Indian Infrastructure giant Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and British defence contractor BAE Systems secured a contract from the Indian army for supply of BvS10 Sindhu armoured vehicles.

L&T will indigenously produce the vehicle in India, with design support from BAE Systems.

About BvS10 Sindhu

Overview: Indian variant of Bandvagn Skyddad 10 (BvS10) Viking all-terrain armoured vehicle to be manufactured by L&T in Hazira, Gujarat, with at least 60% indigenous content.
Role: Designed for high-mobility operations in extreme terrain like snow, mountains, swamps, deserts; especially suitable for Ladakh and Eastern Command environments.
Configuration: Twin-cabin design with protected front and rear modules; amphibious capability with 45° climbing and 60% gradient performance.

Capacity: Carries 10–12 troops with a payload of ~5 tonnes, maintaining mobility even in deep snow and soft ground where wheeled vehicles fail.

Read More > Defence Procurement Manual

{Prelims – Defence} ASMPA-R Missile

Context (ET): France test-fired the Air-Sol Moyenne Portee-Renove (ASMPA-R) air-to-surface cruise missile from Rafale-M fighter jet & formally inducted it into service.

Rafale-M: Carrier-borne variant of Rafale fighter jet designed for naval operations; it has been selected by India for deployment on INS Vikrant to replace the aging MiG 29K fleet.
Cruise missile: Guided missile that flies within the atmosphere using jet or ramjet propulsion, designed for low-altitude, high-precision strikes.
Ramjet Propulsion: Air-breathing engine that compresses incoming air using forward speed instead of compressors, enabling sustained high-supersonic flight in missiles

About ASMPA-R Missile

Latest Upgrade: Second upgraded variant of France’s ASMPA series; inducted into its Strategic Air Forces in 2023 & into its Nuclear Aeronaval Force (FANU) in 2025.
Range & Speed: Medium-range nuclear-capable air-to-surface cruise missile with ~600 km range & Mach 3 supersonic speed.
Propulsion: Liquid-fuel, ramjet-powered system with a solid-fuel booster for initial acceleration.
Warhead: Speculated to carry an improved nuclear warhead; earlier ASMPA-A variant housed a nuclear warhead (100–300 kiloton yield).
Design Changes: Features larger rear fins and smaller front fins, reversing the ASMPA-A layout, while retaining central ramjet air intake.
Future: France is working on a future variant of ASMPA-R, the Air-Sol Nucléaire de 4th Generation (ASN4G); it will arm the next Rafale variant, Rafale F5 fighter & its naval variant.

Read More > Akash Missile System

{Prelims – Defence} Rudra Brigade *

Context (TOI | ET): India successfully tested its newly-raised integrated all-arms brigade ‘Rudra’ during the tri-Service Exercise Trishul on the western front with Pakistan.

Southern Army Command chief Lt-General Dhiraj Seth hinted at a doctrinal shift from the traditional “Cold Start” to a quicker & robust “Cold Strike”, in this context.

Cold Start Doctrine: India’s pro-active conventional war strategy, developed after its troop formations took almost a month to mobilise under Operation Parakram, following the 2001 Parliament attack.
Operation Parakram: Deployment of nearly 500,000 Indian troops along Indo-Pak border following the 2001 Parliament attack. Slow pace of deployment gave time for Pakistan to fortify its defences.
Cold Strike: An upgrade from the traditional ‘Cold Start’ doctrine. Emphasizes quicker mobilization, deeper thrusts & seamless multi-domain operations – enhancing India’s war strategy.

About Rudra Brigade

Overview: Indian Army is converting a few of its 250 single-arm brigades (each brigade has over 3000 troops) into Rudra all-arm brigades with multi-component integration.
- Each Rudra brigade would be tailor-made for its assigned area of operation & the mission.
Components: Infantry, mechanized infantry, tanks, artillery, air-defence systems, engineers, signals, drone detachments, logistics & combat-support teams.
Objective: Bring together all fighting arms & support units into a self-contained group to ensure faster mobilization, better cohesion & increased efficacy.
Current Status: Two Rudra brigades already operational along the northern borders with China – in Ladakh & Sikkim.

Read More > Defence Modernisation In India

{Prelims – In News} Gap in India’s Rank between QS Asia and QS World University Rankings

Context (TH): Indian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) declined in QS Asia University Rankings despite achieving better positions in QS World University Rankings 2026.

Key Reasons

Regional Competition: Indian HEIs improved their performance scores, but East and Southeast Asian universities improved faster, thereby lowering India’s relative standing.
Metric Differences: QS Asia emphasises citations per paper, PhD-qualified staff, and exchange-mobility, where India lags; QS Global focuses on research volume, where India performs better.
Internationalisation Gaps: Indian HEIs have low international students and faculty, while China’s Double First-Class plan focused on QS-relevant metrics like international faculty and joint research.
Faculty Shortages: High student enrolment coupled with limited hiring capacity lowers faculty–student ratio scores across prominent Indian institutes.
Structural Bias: Survey‑based reputation metrics favour institutions with stronger global networks or branding initiatives, resulting in structural disadvantages.

{Prelims – In News} Codex Alimentarius Commission

Context (PIB): India was re-elected to the Executive Committee (CCEXEC) for the Asia region of Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), securing a unanimous mandate by the global members.

The 48^th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC48) was hosted at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy.

FAO: A UN specialised agency founded in 1945, with 190+ members including India; leads global work on food security, agriculture, fisheries & forestry through data, standards & policy support.

About Codex Alimentarius Commission

Overview: International intergovernmental body established in 1963 by World Health Organization (WHO) & FAO under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.
Membership: Open to all member nations & associate members of WHO & FAO. As of 2025, it has 189 members – 188 member countries (including India) & one member organization (European Union).
- India joined CAC in 1964, thus not a founding member.
Standards: CAC maintains Codex Alimentarius (Food Code) – a collection of standards, guidelines & codes of practices to promote consumer health & fairness in the food trade.
- CAC standards are voluntary but governments adopt them worldwide & they serve as reference points for World Trade Organization (WTO) in dispute settlement.

Operations: CAC meets annually, alternating between Geneva & Rome & works in the six official UN languages to harmonize food safety worldwide.

Executive Committee: 17 members (Chair, 3 vice-Chairs, 6 regional coordinators, 7 elected members) & members serve a two-year term to guide work between annual Commission meetings.

UN Official Languages: Languages used for official documents & meetings. Include Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian & Spanish. French & English are the working languages of UN Secretariat.