Current Affairs – November 27, 2025

{GS2 – Governance} Rare Earth Permanent Magnet Manufacturing Scheme **

• Context (TH | NOA): The Union Cabinet of India has approved a landmark scheme to establish domestic manufacturing facilities for Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPMs).

More About the Scheme

• The scheme combines Production-Linked Incentives and capital subsidies to create an integrated supply chain of REPMs to reduce import dependence.
• Nodal Agency: Overseen by the Ministry of Heavy Industries with assistance from relevant bodies.
• Objective: To create domestic manufacturing capacity of 6,000 Metric Tons per Annum (MTPA).
• Duration: It is planned for 7 years, including a 2-year phase to establish the REPM manufacturing facility and 5 years of sales-linked incentives.
• Significance: It strengthens the automotive supply chain, supports the nation’s Net Zero 2070 commitment, and aligns with the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.

About Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPMs)

• REPMs are the strongest permanent magnets available commercially, made from alloys of rare earth elements (REEs).
• Global Production: China controls about 90% of global production and processing of REPMs.
• Types: There are mainly two categories
  1. NdFeB Magnets: Neodymium-iron-boron magnets offer the highest magnetic strength but have lower temperature resistance than samarium–cobalt units.
  2. SmCo Magnets: Samarium-Cobalt magnets have lower strength but are highly durable, making them suitable for aerospace, medical, and military uses.
• Key Applications: They are essential for wind-turbine generators, electric vehicles (EVs), small electronic devices, and medical and defence systems like MRI units and precision-guided weapons.

{GS2 – Governance} Aadhaar Deactivation Drive

• Context (PIB | DD): Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has deactivated over 2 crore Aadhaar numbers of deceased individuals to prevent identity misuse.

About Aadhaar

• Identity Proof: A 12-digit Unique ID issued by UIDAI to every resident of India, linking biometric and demographic data.
  • Launched in 2009, backed by the Aadhaar Act 2016. It is not proof of citizenship.
• Coverage: Over 133 crore enrolments, with ~99.9% adult coverage; mandatory for several government services including PAN-Aadhaar linkage, income-tax filing and Direct Beneficiary Transfer (DBT) targeting.
• myAadhaar Portal: UIDAI’s unified online platform offering e-KYC, biometrics/demographic update, Aadhaar download, & reporting of deaths (integrated with Civil Registration System in multiple States).

About UIDAI

• Status: A statutory authority under the Aadhaar Act 2016, functioning under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), responsible for issuing and managing Aadhaar numbers.
• Functions: Oversees enrolment, authentication, data security, grievance redressal, and regulation of Aadhaar usage across public and private systems.
• Data Protection: Mandates encryption, tokenisation, Virtual ID, biometric/OTP authentication, and prohibits re-assignment of Aadhaar numbers to prevent fraud and duplication.

Read More > Aadhaar

{GS2 – MoPNG} Surging LPG Consumption of India

• Context (IANS | FE): India’s LPG consumption has surged to 31.3 MMT in FY25, supported by expanded household access under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) and rising refill demand.

Trends in India’s LPG Sector

• Rising Demand: LPG consumption increased from 21.6 MMT (FY17) to 31.3 MMT (FY25) & is projected to reach 33–34 MMT in FY26.
• Policy Impact: Household access expanded under Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana as refill rates rose from 3.9 to 4.5 cylinders/yr, fuelled by better affordability, delivery networks and increasing reliance on LPG.
• Commercial Uptake: Industrial and commercial use grew from ~10% to ~16% of total demand, driven by food services, institutional kitchens and MSME clusters.
• Supply Gap: Domestic production rose from 11.2 MMT to 12.8 MMT (FY17–FY25) but imports climbed to ~20.7 MMT, keeping import dependence at 55–60%.
• Import Diversification: Middle East supplies ~91–93% of imports; the new India-US LPG agreement (2.2 MTPA) reduces regional reliance and strengthens energy security.

About Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

• Overview: Launched in 2016 as a central sector scheme under the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas to provide deposit-free LPG connections to women in low-income households.
  • It aims to safeguard household health by reducing indoor air pollution by replacing unclean cooking fuels with clean and more efficient LPG.
• Eligibility: Adult women from BPL, SC/ST, Antyodaya, SECC-listed households, forest dwellers, migrants and island residents are eligible. Male members and households with no adult females are ineligible.
• Achievements: Over 10.33 crore new LPG connections and more than 238 crore cylinder refills availed in 9 years.

Read More > Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana

{GS2 – IR} India–UAE Third CEPA Joint Committee Meeting

• Context (PIB): India and the UAE successfully convened the third meeting of the Joint Committee under the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in New Delhi.

Key Highlights

• Trade Target: Recognising the rise in bilateral trade, both countries reaffirmed their commitment to achieve USD 100 billion in non-oil, non-precious metal trade by 2030.
• Gold TRQ: India informed the UAE about a competitive online bidding system for gold Tariff Rate Quota allocations under CEPA.
• Regulatory Talks: Discussions covered pharmaceutical trade facilitation, early signing of the Food Safety MoU, and anti-dumping measures to promote smooth trade.

India–UAE Relations

• Trade: UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner and second-largest export destination. Bilateral trade exceeded USD 100 billion in FY 2024–25, rising 19.6% year-on-year.
• Investment: UAE sovereign funds committed USD 75 billion to Indian infrastructure, supported by the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) signed in 2024.
• Energy Security: UAE remains India’s fourth-largest crude oil supplier and the only country storing oil in India’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves.
• Defence Ties: Cooperation involves high-level dialogues, exercises such as Desert Cyclone and Zayed Talwar, and maritime security coordination.
• Climate Partnership: India and the UAE jointly launched the Global Green Credit Initiative (GGCI) to promote sustainable practices globally.
• Diaspora: The 3.5 million Indian diaspora in the UAE strengthens cultural ties. The BAPS Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi symbolises mutual respect and cultural diplomacy.

Read More > Importance of UAE for India | India-UAE Bilateral Outcomes 2025 | India-UAE Bilateral Relations

{GS3 – Envi} Digital Sequence Information

• Context (DTE): Digital Sequence Information (DSI) has become a key negotiation topic at the ongoing 11^th Governing Body Meeting of the ITPGRFA in Lima, Peru.

About Digital Sequence Information (DSI)

• Digital Sequence Information (DSI) refers to the digital representation of genetic material obtained from biological samples.
• Data Scope: It includes nucleic-acid sequences, protein structures, metabolic profiles, epigenetic markers, and other annotated biological information.
• Data Storage: DSI is stored in global public repositories such as GenBank (USA), EMBL-EBI (UK), and the DNA Data Bank (Japan) under the INSDC.
  • INSDC: The International Nucleotide Sequence Database Collaboration (INSDC) is a global partnership that provides unified, open, and standardised public access to nucleotide-sequence data.
• Scientific Use: It enables genetic analysis without physical samples by utilising open-access databases and synthetic biology tools.
• ABS Gap: DSI remains outside bilateral Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) systems under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and Nagoya Protocol.
• Cali Fund: COP16 (2024) in Colombia created the Cali Fund to administer fair and equitable benefit-sharing from commercial DSI use.

Advantages of DSI

• Accelerated Research: DSI speeds up scientific research by removing the need to collect biological samples for each study physically.
• Rapid Sharing: Global access to digital genetic data enables quicker development of diagnostics, vaccines, and targeted treatments.
• Reduced Barriers: Open-access database reduces research costs and eliminates the transport and permitting barriers linked to physical genetic material.
• Targeted Therapies: Large-scale digital analysis helps identify disease-specific markers for precise therapeutic design.

Challenges with DSI

• Unfair Access: Open-access databases allow commercial users to use genetic data without fair benefit-sharing with the source countries
• Regulatory Uncertainty: The absence of a legally binding definition and harmonised global rules complicates policy implementation.
• Traceability Challenge: Determining the origin and commercial pathway of a specific DSI sequence is expensive, complicated, and often impractical.
• Capacity Gap: Many developing countries lack adequate sequencing infrastructure and bioinformatics expertise, restricting their ability to leverage DSI.

Read More> International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

{GS3 – S&T} Digital Sovereignty **

• Context (IE): India faces rising geopolitical pressure over data flows, digital taxation and Big Tech regulation, as major powers push for rules that may limit national policy space.

• The debate now centres on choosing between digital sovereignty, digital submission, or remaining vulnerable to external control of data and digital infrastructure.

Need for Digital Sovereignty for India

• Data Power: National control over data enables economic value creation and strategic autonomy. E.g., global data economy valued at $3 trillion+ (OECD 2024).
• Policy Autonomy: Safeguard India’s sovereign right to design digital taxation without external pressure. E.g. OECD’s Pillar-1 negotiations explicitly preserve national policy space.
• Security Safeguards: Reduces vulnerability to foreign financial and digital chokepoints. E.g. SWIFT-based exclusion of Russia/Iran demonstrated geopolitical risks.
• Tech Development: Enables growth of indigenous AI, semiconductor and platform ecosystems. E.g. India’s Digital Public Infrastructure is estimated to add $100 bn/year (World Bank).

Challenges Faced in Acquiring Digital Sovereignty

• US Dominance: Western control of financial and digital rails limits Indian bargaining power. E.g. 90% of global digital ads revenue captured by US platforms.
• FTA Pressures: Proposed digital trade clauses restrict India’s right to regulate data flows. E.g. the US is demanding the removal of data localisation and limits on digital taxes.
• Talent Drain: Indian tech workforce fuels global valuations without domestic dividends. E.g. India contributes 12% of global AI talent, but value accrues abroad.
• Digital Dependency: The Indian digital ecosystem is dominated by foreign cloud, OS, and payment stacks. E.g. 80% cloud market is controlled by three US firms.

Way Forward

• Data Localisation: Strengthen regulated data storage norms to safeguard sensitive national information. E.g. the EU’s GDPR localisation framework that tightly governs personal-data transfers.
• Sovereign Compute: Build robust national cloud platforms and advanced chip fabrication units to ensure long-term technological independence. E.g. France’s GAIA-X sovereign cloud project.
• FTA Red Lines: Reject digital-trade clauses that curb India’s powers over domestic digital regulation and protect policy space. E.g. WTO’s General Exceptions permit safeguarding national regulatory autonomy.
• Domestic Champions: Promote Indian digital enterprises through incentives and market access support to build competitive ecosystems. E.g. China’s government-backed rise of Alibaba and Tencent.

{Prelims – Envi} Biomass Pellets *

• Context (NOA): The Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) inaugurated a biomass pellet plant in Haryana, supporting mandated biomass blending in thermal power plants.

About Biomass Pellets

• Overview: Solid renewable fuel made from compressed organic material such as agricultural residue, energy crops, industrial waste and untreated wood.
  • Compression removes moisture from the material, increasing its energy density and making it a viable fuel with high combustion efficiency.
• Torrefaction: Biomass heated at 250-350°C without oxygen, producing hydrophobic, high-energy pellets with better storability but higher processing cost.
  • Non-torrefied biomass is shredded and pelletized with binders (e.g., sawdust, molasses); cheaper to produce but lower durability and moisture resistance.
• Usage: Thermal power plants must blend 5-10% biomass pellets with coal, using refined pellets with coal-like calorific value as part of the mandated fuel mix.
• Benefits: Biomass pellets reduce air pollution from stubble burning, supplement income for farmers, support rural jobs, and replace a portion of coal with a cleaner renewable fuel.
• Environmental Impact: Lower NOx, SOx and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) emissions compared to coal, but associated with fine particulate pollution during combustion.

Read More > India’s Biofuel Push

{Prelims – Species} Manchurian Walnut Tree (Juglans mandshurica)

• Context (TOI): Recently, scientists identified strong weed-killing potential in the leaves of the Manchurian Walnut tree (Juglans mandshurica).

• Along with the allelopathic compound juglone found in all walnut species, the leaves also contain a potent natural herbicide called 2Z-decaprenol.

About the Manchurian Walnut Tree

• The Manchurian walnut tree is a cold-resistant, fast-growing deciduous tree native to Northeast Asia.
• Soil Preference: It prefers deep, moist, well-drained loamy soils rich in organic matter in cool temperate regions.
• Morphology: The tree produces large compound leaves (often 60-80 cm) and an extremely thick, uniquely textured nut shell.
• Habitat Preference: The species thrives in temperate broadleaf forests, particularly along riverbanks, moist valleys, and shaded mountain slopes.
• Cold Tolerance: It is the most cold-resistant walnut species, surviving winter temperatures down to at least –40°C.
• Growth Pattern: The trees grow rapidly in early years and may live for up to 300 years. It can grow 1-2 meters per year for the first 20 years.
• Distribution: Manchurian Walnut is native to Northeast China, the Korean Peninsula, eastern Russia, and northern Japan.
• Human-Use: Its durable hardwood is used in furniture and cabinetry, while its nuts provide edible kernels and oil.

{Prelims – S&T} India’s First Private Orbital Rocket Vikram-I *

• Context (IT): PM Narendra Modi unveiled Vikram-I, India’s first private orbital rocket developed by Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace.

• Vehicle Design: Vikram-I is a four-stage, 20-metre-tall launch vehicle designed to serve the small-satellite market.
  • The rocket can carry 350 kg to low Earth orbit (LEO) or 260 kg to sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).
• Structural Build: It uses an all-carbon fibre body and 3D-printed engines to reduce overall weight and enhance strength.
• Stage Propulsion: The first three stages use ‘Kalam’ solid-fuel motors, while the upper stage operates on ‘Raman’ hypergolic engines.
• Rapid Turnaround: The system supports complete assembly and launch within 24 hours from any designated launch site.
• Launch Legacy: Vikram-I follows Skyroot’s 2022 launch of India’s first-ever private (sub-orbital) rocket, Vikram-S.

{Prelims – S&T} Safran Aircraft Engine Services India Facility

• Context (NOA): PM Modi inaugurated the Safran Aircraft Engine Services India (SAESI) facility in Hyderabad to provide world-class engine maintenance and repair services.

• He also laid the foundation stone for an adjacent Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility for the M88 engines that power Rafale fighter jets.

About SAESI Facility

• It is designed to service LEAP (Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion) engines, which power commercial aircraft like the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX.
• Capacity: The state-of-the-art facility aims to service up to 300 LEAP engines annually after reaching full operational capacity by 2035.
• Significance: It is a major step towards realising Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) in the aviation sector and establishing India as a global aviation hub.

Read More > India’s Aviation Sector

{Prelims – Diseases} H5N5 Bird Flu *

• Context (DTE): For the first time, a human has died due to the H5N5 avian influenza virus in the USA.

About H5N5 Avian Influenza

• Type: Influenza A virus subtype found primarily in wild waterfowl and poultry.
• Genetic Makeup:
  • H5: Haemagglutinin subtype (surface protein enabling cell entry)
  • N5: Neuraminidase subtype (surface protein enabling viral release)
• Difference from H5N1: Genome sequencing indicates H5N5 is genetically distinct from currently circulating H5N1 strains. Same H5 subtype but different N subtype (N5 vs N1). WHO data show that H5N1 human cases have exceeded 860 since 2003, while H5N5 has only had one confirmed case (in 2025).
• Transmission to Humans: Extremely rare; this is the first confirmed human infection. It occurs mainly through direct contact with infected birds. No evidence of human-to-human transmission so far.
• Symptoms: High fever, Severe respiratory illness, neurological symptoms and rapid deterioration.
• Treatment: Treatment relies on early use of neuraminidase inhibitors such as oseltamivir to reduce severity, supported by hospital-based care for respiratory distress.

{Prelims – Diseases} Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

• Context (TH): Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is in focus due to rising global burden (projected +69% cases by 2040) and its inclusion under India’s National Policy for Rare Diseases (NPRD), 2021.

About Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

• Nature: A progressive motor neuron disease (also called Lou Gehrig’s disease) causing degeneration of brain and spinal motor neurons, leading to muscle atrophy, paralysis and respiratory failure.
  • Over 90% cases are sporadic, with onset typically from 55-75 years, and higher prevalence in males. Average life expectancy after diagnosis is 3-5 years.
• Symptoms: Early signs include fasciculations, limb weakness, dysarthria and dysphagia; advanced stages cause breathing difficulty, immobility, and may co-occur with frontotemporal dementia (FTD-ALS).
• Causes: Etiology unclear; linked to genetic mutations (e.g., C9ORF72), smoking, hypertension, and possible glial cell dysfunction.
• Treatment: Confirmed via Electromyography, nerve conduction, MRI, biopsies; no cure developed yet. Management includes multidisciplinary therapy, assistive devices, and palliative respiratory support.

Read More > Rare Diseases

{Prelims – Sports} India to Host 2030 Commonwealth Games

• Context (NOA): Ahmedabad has been granted hosting rights for the 2030 Commonwealth Games by delegates of Commonwealth nations during the General Assembly in Glasgow.

• This is the second time India will host the Games; New Delhi previously hosted the 2010 edition.
• This decision further supports India’s goal to host the 2036 Olympic Games.