National News
1. Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas & Jharkhand Foundation Day Observed Nationwide
- India observed Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas on November 15 to mark the 151st birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Bhagwan Birsa Munda, alongside Jharkhand’s 26th State Foundation Day.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 246 tribal development projects worth nearly ₹3,000 crore from Gadchiroli, Maharashtra.
- Key projects include 38 new Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) and the Ropuiliani Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum in Aizawl, Mizoram.
2. India’s Foreign Exchange Reserves Surge to $719.55 Billion
- According to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data, India's total foreign exchange reserves rose by $2.49 billion to reach $719.55 billion.
- Foreign currency assets stood at $591.35 billion, while gold reserves climbed by over $2.2 billion to $104.80 billion.
- Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) were recorded at $18.61 billion, and India's reserve position with the IMF stood at $4.79 billion.
3. 3,358 Trainees Graduate at INS Chilka Passing-Out Parade
- A batch of 3,358 naval trainees—including 2,756 Agniveers (among them 142 women), 286 Navy Medical Assistants, and 316 Coast Guard Naviks—completed their ab-initio training at INS Chilka, Odisha.
- Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan reviewed the passing-out parade.
- The ceremony highlighted the growing integration of women Agniveers and modernized maritime training standards in the Indian Navy.
4. CAQM Orders Sealing of Polluting Units and Enforces ANPR Deadline in Delhi-NCR
- The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) ordered the immediate sealing of 191 non-conforming industrial units operating in Delhi-NCR to curb severe winter air pollution.
- NCR states have been directed to install Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras at border entry points by November 30, 2026, to restrict over-aged commercial vehicles.
- Failure to meet the deadline will trigger criminal prosecution against erring state transport officials under the CAQM Act, 2021.
5. Andhra Pradesh Announces ₹25,000 Crore Space Manufacturing Hub Near Sriharikota
- The Andhra Pradesh government unveiled plans to develop a dedicated space manufacturing ecosystem near Sriharikota with projected investments of ₹25,000 crore.
- The hub is designed to attract private aerospace firms specializing in rocket engines, propulsion systems, and launch testing facilities.
- The initiative leverages proximity to ISRO’s Satish Dhawan Space Centre to establish India's premier commercial space cluster.
International News
1. 49th ASEAN Summit Begins in Manila, Philippines
- Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inaugurated the 49th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Manila, running from November 15 to 18, 2026.
- Southeast Asian leaders and global dialogue partners are convening to discuss regional security, South China Sea maritime stability, and deeper economic integration.
- Leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad)—India, Australia, Japan, and the United States—are also scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the summit.
2. India Commits Over €7 Million to Italy’s Elettra 2.0 Synchrotron Upgrade
- India signed an agreement committing more than €7 million over five years as a co-partner in upgrading the Elettra 2.0 synchrotron facility in Trieste, Italy.
- The funding will replace two existing India-centric beamlines with advanced micro-XRD and Xpress Superbend beamlines for high-pressure diffraction and macromolecular research.
- India is currently the second-largest user of the Elettra synchrotron facility after host nation Italy.
3. 7th India–Egypt Joint Trade Committee Convenes in Cairo
- Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal arrived in Cairo to co-chair the 7th India–Egypt Joint Trade Committee meeting alongside Egyptian Minister Mohamed Farid Saleh.
- Discussions focus on expanding bilateral trade, industrial investment, and supply chain cooperation across pharmaceuticals, textiles, and green energy.
- Bilateral trade between India and Egypt surged by 64% to reach $5.04 billion during the April–September 2026 period.
4. Quad Foreign Ministers Advance Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration
- Ahead of the Manila leaders' meeting, Quad nations operationalized upgrades under the Indo-Pacific Maritime Surveillance Collaboration (IPMSC).
- The initiative integrates satellite, aerial, and surface tracking data into a near-real-time Common Operating Picture for regional partners.
- It builds on the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative and Open RAN telecommunications projects across Pacific Island nations.
Sports News
1. Lakshya Sen Wins Kumamoto Masters Japan 2026 Title
- Indian shuttler Lakshya Sen became the first Indian to win the Kumamoto Masters Japan (BWF Super 500) men's singles title on November 15.
- Sen rallied from a game down to defeat Japan’s Koki Watanabe 13–21, 21–18, 21–14 in a 64-minute final.
- This marks Sen's second consecutive BWF title and helps India achieve its most successful BWF World Tour season ever with nine titles at Super 300 and higher levels.
2. President Droupadi Murmu Confers National Sports Awards at Rashtrapati Bhavan
- President Droupadi Murmu presented the National Sports Awards 2025, honouring 17 athletes with the Arjuna Award, including Vidit Gujrathi, Divya Deshmukh, Tejaswin Shankar, and Treesa Jolly.
- Former footballer I. Arumainayagam received the Arjuna Award for Lifetime Achievement, while Army Paralympic Node, Pune earned the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puraskar.
- For the first time since 2014, no athlete was selected for the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.
3. India Beats Bhutan 2–1 to Enter SAFF Championship Final
- The Indian men's senior football team defeated Bhutan 2–1 in Dhaka to secure a spot in the SAFF Championship final.
- Forward Vishnu PV opened the scoring in the ninth minute as India held off a late Bhutanese fightback.
- The Blue Tigers now advance to compete for a record-extending 10th regional title.
4. Anuj Shrivatri Becomes India’s 100th Chess Grandmaster
- Madhya Pradesh’s Anuj Shrivatri officially earned the title of India’s 100th Chess Grandmaster, marking a historic milestone for Indian chess.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shrivatri, noting the rapid rise of young Indian talent across global chess circuits.
- The milestone reinforces India’s position as one of the world’s premier chess powerhouses.
5. India Finishes Summer Youth Olympics 2026 Campaign with 10 Medals
- India concluded its campaign at the 2026 Summer Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, with a total haul of 10 medals—2 Gold, 3 Silver, and 5 Bronze.
- Indian athletes won medals across seven different sporting disciplines, including five Khelo India athletes.
- The tally includes India’s first-ever Youth Olympic podium finishes in several emerging track and combat events.
