Daily Current Affairs | 3 November 2026: Important National & International Updates

National News

1.Ministry of Defence Signs ₹53,866 Crore Contract for Next-Generation Corvettes

Contracting Agencies: The Defence Ministry signed contracts worth ₹53,866.50 crore with Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).
Fleet Addition: Under Project 28A, the Indian Navy will procure 8 Next-Generation Corvettes (NGCs) to boost blue-water capability.
Shipyard Allocation: GRSE will manufacture 5 ships, while GSL will build the remaining 3 ships.

2.India Achieves Paris Agreement Non-Fossil Power Target 5 Years Ahead of Schedule

Key Announcement: PM Narendra Modi announced at the India Renewable Energy Summit 2026 that India crossed 50% non-fossil installed power capacity.
Target Timeline: The benchmark was originally set for 2030 under India's Paris Agreement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) but was accomplished in 2025.
Event Venue: The announcement coincided with the International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

3.EPFO Rolled Out WhatsApp Integration and Raised Auto-Settlement Limit to ₹5 Lakh

Announced On: Revealed during the 74th Foundation Day of the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).
Enhanced Limit: Auto-settlement limit for claim processing extended up to ₹5 lakh per instance for eligible members.
Digital Accessibility: Launched native chatbot integration over WhatsApp to streamline claim status inquiries and member services.

4.Inauguration of Pune Metro Line 3 (Pink Line)

Project Outline: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 23-km Pune Metro Pink Line constructed at a budget exceeding ₹8,300 crore.
Network Expansion: Operational metro footprint in India expanded from 248 km (across 5 cities in 2014) to over 1,200 km (spanning 26 cities).
Future Corridors: Foundation stones laid for 4 additional metro corridors in the Pune urban cluster.

International News

1.India Hosts Inaugural BIMSTEC Maritime Security Exercise

Location: The sea and harbor exercise concluded in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Participating Nations: Naval and maritime security forces from all 7 BIMSTEC member states participated (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand).
Strategic Focus: Focused on domain awareness, inter-operability, anti-piracy drills, and regional security cooperation in the Bay of Bengal.

2.Iliana Iotova Elected Bulgaria's First Female President

Election Outcome: Former Vice President Iliana Iotova secured victory in Bulgaria's presidential runoff.
Historical Significance: Becomes the first elected female President of Bulgaria.
Governance Role: Assumes executive responsibility over state functions, national defense chairmanship, and international representation.

3.Mount Mayon Volcanic Eruption in the Philippines

Geographic Site: Located in Albay province on the island of Luzon, Philippines.
Activity Level: Erupted with high-altitude explosive ash columns and pyroclastic density currents, triggering alert code elevations.
Civic Action: Authorities established a 6-km Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) and initiated mass evacuations.

Sports News

1.India Sweeps Inaugural Commonwealth Kabaddi Championship Titles

2.PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen Win Hylo Open 2026 Titles

Tournament Category: Super 500 Badminton World Federation (BWF) event hosted in Saarbrücken, Germany.
Men's Singles Winner: Lakshya Sen defeated Jonatan Christie (Indonesia) 21–17, 21–10 to become the first Indian to win two Hylo Open titles.
Women's Singles Winner: PV Sindhu defeated Line Kjaersfeldt (Denmark) 21–12, 21–14, becoming the first Indian woman to win the title.

3.Kimi Antonelli Crowned Youngest Formula 1 World Champion

Driver & Team: Italian driver Kimi Antonelli racing for Mercedes-AMG F1.
Decisive Race: Secured third place at the Mexico City Grand Prix to lock the 2026 World Drivers' Championship.
Record Set: Became the youngest-ever World Drivers' Champion in F1 history and the first Italian champion since 1953.