National Affairs

56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) Concludes in Goa

The 56th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) was successfully hosted at the Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium in Panaji, Goa. The festival celebrated cinematic excellence under a unique techno-creative vision.

• Key Highlights:
  • Theme: "Convergence of Creativity and Technology," highlighting the digital revolution in modern filmmaking.
  • Organizers: Jointly conducted by the National Film Development Corporation (NDFC) under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), the State Government of Goa, and the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG).
  • Featured Countries: Japan was honored as the Country of Focus, Spain as the Partner Country, and Australia as the Spotlight Country.
  • Featured Films: The festival opened with the Brazilian film "The Blue Trail" (Directed by Gabriel Mascaro) and concluded with the Thai film "A Useful Ghost" (Directed by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke).
• Awards & Recognitions:
  • Special Recognition: Renowned actor and Andhra Pradesh MLA Nandamuri Balakrishna received special recognition for his outstanding contribution to Indian Cinema.
  • Tributes: The festival paid rich tributes to cinematic legends Guru Dutt, Raj Khosla, Bhanumati, Bhuwan, and Ritwik Ghatak. It also celebrated superstar Rajinikanth and Nandamuri Balakrishna for completing 50 monumental years in the film industry.
  • Key Initiatives: Union MoS Dr. L. Murugan inaugurated the 19th WAVES Film Bazaar, a premier global film market. Additionally, Goa CM Pramod Sawant released a commemorative postal stamp honoring the birth centenary of legendary cinematographer K Vaikunth.

India Re-elected to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council

India has secured its re-election to the Category B of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council for the 2026-27 term.

• The Election: Held during the 34th session of the IMO Assembly in London, UK. India scored a massive victory by securing 154 votes out of 169 valid votes, the highest in Category B.
• Significance: This position empowers India to shape critical global maritime policies, including global shipping safety standards, seafarers' welfare guidelines, green marine environmental regulations, and international port trade logistics.
• IMO Structure Breakdown:
  • Category A (10 States with largest interest in international shipping services): China, Greece, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Norway, Panama, Republic of Korea, UK, and USA.
  • Category B (10 States with largest interest in international seaborne trade): India, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and UAE.
  • Category C (20 States representing major geographic regions): Includes Bahamas, Belgium, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, among others.

India Tourism Data Compendium 2025: Maharashtra Tops Foreign Tourist Visits

The Ministry of Tourism (MoT) has officially published the 66th edition of the India Tourism Data Compendium 2025, charting significant growth trajectories in both domestic and international footprints.

• Foreign Tourist Visits (FTVs) Outlook:
  • State Rankings: Maharashtra secured the top position by drawing 3.71 million foreign tourists, followed closely by West Bengal (3.12 million) and Uttar Pradesh (2.27 million).
  • Total Footfall: India registered a total of 20.94 million FTVs, registering an 8.84% growth compared to previous statistics.
  • Top Source Markets: The top 5 countries driving Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) were the USA (18.13%), Bangladesh (17.59%), the UK (10.28%), Australia (5.21%), and Canada (4.79%).
  • Age Group Demographics: The highest tourist footfall came from the 35–44 age bracket (20.67%) and 45–54 age bracket (20.24%).
• Domestic Tourist Visitors (DTVs) Outlook:
  • Growth: Domestic travel saw an explosive 17.51% increase, climbing to 2,948.19 million visits.
  • Top States: Uttar Pradesh topped domestic travel charts with 646.8 million visits, followed by Tamil Nadu (306.8 million) and Karnataka (304.6 million).
• Key Visualizations:
  • Top Monument: The iconic Taj Mahal (Agra, UP) remained India’s most visited ticketed monument for both domestic (6.26 million) and foreign (0.645 million) tourists.
  • Economic Contribution: The tourism sector accounted for a solid 5.22% share of India's GDP.

Hansa-3 (NG) Aircraft and Advanced Aerospace Facilities Unveiled in Bengaluru

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Dr. Jitendra Singh unveiled the production-ready version of the Hansa-3 (NG) trainer aircraft at the CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) in Bengaluru, Karnataka.

• About Hansa-3 (NG): It is India’s first completely indigenous, all-composite airframe two-seater aircraft. It is specifically manufactured to cater to commercial pilot (CPL) and private pilot (PPL) training demands as India prepares to meet a projected demand of nearly 30,000 pilots over the next two decades.
• Manufacturing Hub: Pioneer Clean Amps Pvt. Ltd. will establish a ₹150 crore manufacturing plant in Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, boasting an annual production cap of 100 aircraft.
• Strategic Loitering Munition UAV Development: CSIR-NAL signed an milestone MoU with Solar Defence & Aerospace Limited (SDAL) to manufacture a 150 kg class indigenous Loitering Munition Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (LM-UAV). Powered by NAL's proprietary 30 hp Wankel engine, this kamikaze drone features a strike radius of 900 km, an endurance of 9 hours, and an operational ceiling of 5 km.

ISRO Chairman Inaugurates 'ACEN'—India's First Private Navigation Hub

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan officially inaugurated the Anant Centre of Excellence for Navigation (ACEN) at the Kinfra Park in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

• The Developer: Established by aerospace and defense pioneer Ananth Technologies Limited (ATL).
• Core Mandate: The facility will lead research and indigenous development of highly technical components like Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), Global Satellite Navigation System (GNSS) receivers, high-precision gyroscopes, and accelerometers.
• The Goal: To design advanced multi-modal navigation layouts by combining India’s indigenous NavIC constellation with traditional GPS, AI-driven sensor fusions, and radar-based mapping tracking systems.

NIRDC Launches Single-Window Platform ‘InDApp’ for MSMEs

The National Industries Research and Development Council (NIRDC) has launched a single-window digital application named InDApp (India’s Industrial Empowerment Application) to streamline industrial regulatory steps for MSMEs.

• The Launch: Unveiled by Union MoS B. L. Verma (Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution).
• Inter-Ministerial Support: The platform functions with synchronized information integration from 7 core ministries, including MoFPI, MoFAHD, MoAFW, MoC&I, MoEFCC, MCA, and MNRE.
• Benefits: Grants small scale enterprises instant access to fast-tracked regulatory approvals, structural government schemes, live market analytical tracking, and cross-border export channels.

Banking & Finance

SBI and Bank of India Join Hands for Project Financing Centre of Excellence

State Bank of India (SBI) and Bank of India (BOI) have signed a Strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build a joint Centre of Excellence (CoE) focused on advanced industrial financing strategies.

• Shared Co-financing: The alliance allows both public sector banking giants to bundle their capital and risk frameworks to co-finance large-scale infrastructure and industrial projects across the country.
• Capacity Building: The framework focuses heavily on combined executive training, leadership boot camps, and specialized asset management training for banking personnel.

Economy & Business

India’s Q2 FY26 GDP Growth Hits a 6-Quarter High of 8.2%

Data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI), reveals that India’s Real GDP growth hit an impressive 6-quarter high of 8.2% during the second quarter (Q2: July–September) of FY2025-26.

• The Numbers: Real GDP for Q2 FY26 reached ₹48.63 lakh crore (up from ₹44.94 lakh crore in Q2 FY25). Nominal GDP witnessed an 8.7% growth, touching ₹85.25 lakh crore.
• Key Growth Drivers:
  • The Manufacturing Sector served as the prime locomotive, registering a stellar 9.1% growth compared to 7.7% in Q1.
  • Financial, Real Estate, and Professional Services recorded a double-digit growth of 10.2%, followed by Public Administration and Defense at 9.7%.
• Primary Sector Performance: The agriculture and mining sectors observed a mild deceleration, printing a 3.1% Year-on-Year (Y-o-Y) growth.
• Consumer Demand: Real Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE), which measures household expenditure health, surged significantly to 7.9%.

Awards & Recognitions

IUSSP Honored with the 2025 UN Population Award

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) India officially felicitated the International Union for the Scientific Study of Population (IUSSP) for winning the 2025 UN Population Award (Institutional Category).

• The Event: The felicitation took place during the 46th Annual Conference of the Indian Association for the Study of Population (IASP) held at the Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) in Kolkata.
• The Honor: Marks the 40th edition of the UN Population Award, celebrating IUSSP’s pioneering, evidence-based demographic data modeling since its inception in 1928.

Appointments & Resignations

Vivek Chaturvedi Takes Charge as Chairman of CBIC

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has appointed Vivek Chaturvedi (1990-batch IRS officer) as the new Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

• Predecessor: He replaces Sanjay Kumar Agarwal, who superannuated.
• Background: Chaturvedi brings over 30 years of elite administrative mastery in risk profiling and customs tracking. He previously served as Principal DG of Vigilance, Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO), and headed the Directorate General of Analytics and Risk Management (DGARM).

ITBP Chief Praveen Kumar Given Additional Charge of BSF

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has assigned Praveen Kumar (1993-batch IPS officer, West Bengal cadre), the current Director General of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the additional charge as DG of the Border Security Force (BSF).

• Transition: He takes over following the superannuation of Daljit Singh Chawdhary.

Sports

Belgium Clinches Maiden Sultan Azlan Shah Cup Title

The Belgium Men's Field Hockey Team scripted history by capturing their first-ever Sultan Azlan Shah Cup title at the 31st edition of the tournament held at the Azlan Shah Stadium in Ipoh, Malaysia.

• The Final: Belgium defeated the Indian Men's Field Hockey Team (captained by Sanjay Rana) with a tight 1–0 victory. Thibeau Stockbroekx scored the match-winning goal.
• Final Standings:
  • Gold: Belgium
  • Silver: India (5-time champions, finishing runners-up for the second consecutive time)
  • Bronze: New Zealand (Defeated Malaysia 6–1)
• Tournament Honors: New Zealand's Sam Lane finished as the top scorer of the tournament with 9 goals (followed by Belgium's Tom Boon and Thibeau Stockbroekx with 6 goals each).

Syed Modi International 2025 Concludes in Lucknow

The Syed Modi International Super 300 Badminton Tournament wrapped up seamlessly at the Babu Banarasi Das Indoor Stadium in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, with an overall prize wallet of USD 240,000.

• Indian Glory: Shuttlers Treesa Jolly and Gayatri Gopichand successfully defended their Women’s Doubles Title, overcoming the Japanese pair Kaho Osawa and Mai Tanabe in a thrilling 76-minute finale. They became the first Indian doubles duo to win a BWF World Tour title this year.
• Men's Singles: Former World No. 1 Kidambi Srikanth finished as runner-up after a hard-fought battle against Hong Kong’s Jason Gunawan.

Obituaries

Oscar-Winning British Playwright Sir Tom Stoppard Passes Away

Legendary British playwright and Academy Award-winning screenwriter Sir Tom Stoppard passed away in Dorset, UK, at the age of 88.

• Legacy: Born in Czechoslovakia in 1937, Stoppard rose to global fame with his breakout play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1966).
• Major Laurels: Won an Academy Award (Oscar) for Best Original Screenplay for the acclaimed film Shakespeare in Love (1999). He was knighted in 1997 and inducted into the elite Order of Merit in 2000. He was also a recipient of five Tony Awards.

Important Days

World AIDS Day 2025 Observed on December 1st

International communities observed World AIDS Day on December 1st to strengthen public health frameworks and honor those affected by the disease.

• 2025 Theme: "Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response"
• The Symbol: The Red Ribbon remains the global symbol of universal solidarity, representing blood, passion, and empathy.
• National Event: In India, the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) organized the national event at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, presided over by Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda.

61st Border Security Force (BSF) Raising Day

The Border Security Force (BSF)—hailed as India's "First Line of Defence"—celebrated its 61st Raising Day (Diamond Jubilee) on December 1, 2025.

• The Grand Parade: Held at Bhuj, Gujarat, featuring Union Home Minister Amit Shah as the Chief Guest. The operational display showcased 12 territorial frontiers, specialized artillery units, camel-mounted bands, and an all-women officer contingent.
• About BSF: Formed on December 1, 1965, with 25 initial battalions following the Indo-Pak border tensions. It operates as one of the 7 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) under the Ministry of Home Affairs, managing over 6,386.36 km of sensitive borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.

State News

Nagaland Hosts the 26th Hornbill Festival

Known globally as the "Festival of Festivals", the 26th Hornbill Festival commenced at the Kisama Heritage Village near Kohima, Nagaland, aligning with Nagaland's Statehood Day.

• Objective: A 10-day mega cultural ecosystem celebrating the diverse traditions of Nagaland’s 17 major indigenous tribes.
• International Diplomacy: Features six global partner nations—the UK, France, Austria, Switzerland, Malta, and Ireland—alongside Arunachal Pradesh as the domestic partner state to drive international cultural diplomacy and tourism.
• Travel Ease: The central government provided temporary relaxations in the Protected Area Permit (PAP) protocols to streamline immediate entry grids for global travelers arriving at state airports.