Weekly Current Affairs Test : 15th to 21st November 2025

America’s Anduril and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) EDGE Group are jointly developing the new Omen drone at a 50,000 sq ft research centre in Abu Dhabi as per the recent update. Omen is a tail-sitting vertical takeoff and landing drone with a hybrid-electric propulsion system. It is modular and adaptable for both military and non-military missions. It supports roles like maritime surveillance, infrastructure protection, and persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) over coastal areas.

The Ministry of Defence recently signed a deal with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) to procure INVAR Anti-Tank Missiles worth over ₹2,095 crore to strengthen T-90 tank firepower. INVAR is an Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) fired from the barrel of T-90 tanks. It offers long-range precision strikes and can destroy tanks with Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA). It is built by Russia’s Rosoboronexport and produced in India under licence by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). It uses semi-automatic laser beam-riding guidance, making it resistant to jamming.

The Ministry of Road Transport recently made it mandatory to use the National Database for Emergency Management (NDEM) analysis in all highway Detailed Project Reports. National Database for Emergency Management (NDEM) is a unique geo-portal that provides space-based inputs and forecasts for all natural disasters in India. It serves as a national repository of multi-scale geospatial data with decision support tools. It was developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) under the guidance of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The portal is maintained by the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC).

Blue Origin recently launched NASA’s ESCAPADE mission to Mars. ESCAPADE (Escape and Plasma Acceleration and Dynamics Explorers) is NASA’s first coordinated multi-spacecraft orbital science mission to Mars. It consists of twin orbiters named Blue and Gold that will observe Mars from different locations simultaneously. The mission is part of NASA’s SIMPLEx (Small Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration) program.

The Chief of the Air Staff recently inaugurated the Mudh-Nyoma airbase in Ladakh by landing a C-130J aircraft there. Mudh-Nyoma is an Indian Air Force (IAF) base in southeastern Ladakh at 13,700 feet. It is just 23 km from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. It is now the fourth IAF base in Ladakh, India’s highest airfield, and the world’s fifth highest. It lies near the southern bank of Pangong Tso and earlier had a mud landing strip. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) began upgrading it in September 2023.

A recent study mapped Bolivia’s Uturuncu Volcano and found its unusual ground movement is caused by hot fluids and gases, not rising magma indicating an eruption. Uturuncu is a dormant stratovolcano in the Andes Mountains of southwestern Bolivia. It is 6,008 metres above sea level and is the tallest peak in southern Bolivia. It last erupted 2,50,000 years ago but remains seismically active with hundreds of small quakes each year. It sits above the Altiplano-Puna Magma Body, a 200-kilometre-wide active magma reservoir. Its “zombie” behaviour is due to underground liquid and gas movement with low eruption risk.

Recently, the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA) reviewed the progress of the Rural Technology Action Group (RuTAG) 2.0 to push rural technology solutions. RuTAG is an initiative of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (OPSA) launched in 2004 to bring Science and Technology support to rural areas. It focuses on demand-driven interventions to fill technology gaps at the grassroots level. It upgrades local technologies and provides training and demonstrations through innovative projects. It connects stakeholders like Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Self Help Groups (SHGs), community bodies, and start-ups to identify technology needs.

Recently, the Assam Chief Minister went to London to start the process of bringing back the sacred Vrindavani Vastra from the British Museum. Vrindavani Vastra is a 400-year-old Assamese textile depicting Lord Krishna’s childhood stories and divine acts in Vrindavan. It is woven in silk using the complex ‘lampas’ technique that requires two weavers working together. It uses many coloured threads like red, white, black, yellow, and green. It was created under Srimanta Sankardeva on the request of Koch king Nara Narayan. Nara Narayan had sheltered Sankardeva when he was targeted by the Ahom kingdom.

Recently, the Assam State Zoo team reported the first case of albinism in the checkered keelback, also called the Asian water snake. The checkered keelback is a medium-sized non-venomous snake native to Asia. It is widely found across India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. It lives in freshwater habitats like ponds, marshes, and rice fields. It is listed as Least Concern on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

Recently, the Centre sanctioned ₹9 crore under the Jan Man Scheme for development, welfare, and cultural preservation of the Maram Naga tribe in Manipur. The Maram Naga tribe is part of the larger Naga ethnic group and mainly lives in Senapati district, Manipur. They belong to the Tibeto-Burman family of the Mongoloid race. They speak the Maram language, a Sino-Tibetan language written in the Roman script. Agriculture is their main occupation, with shifting and wet cultivation widely practiced. Their major festivals are Punghi in July, Kanghi in December, and the women-centric Mangkang festival in April.

The e-Jagriti Platform has recently crossed two lakh users since its launch on 1 January 2025. e-Jagriti is a flagship initiative of the Department of Consumer Affairs under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. It strengthens India’s consumer dispute redressal system through full digital access. It offers multilingual support and accessibility tools for inclusivity. It provides AI-powered smart search for complaints, cases and judgments. It allows NRIs and citizens to file and monitor cases from anywhere with secure access. It ensures simple, fast and cost-effective consumer dispute resolution online.

Japan’s Sakurajima volcano recently erupted several times, sending ash up to 4.4 kilometres high. It is located on the southern tip of Kyushu Island near Kagoshima city in Japan. It is one of Japan’s most active volcanoes with frequent eruptions. Sakurajima is a stratovolcano made of layered lava and ash on a convergent plate boundary. It is an andesitic volcano with high gas content and very viscous magma at the edge of the Aira Caldera

The eighth India-UK Joint Military Exercise AJEYA WARRIOR-25 began recently at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan. Exercise Ajeya Warrior is a joint military exercise between India and the United Kingdom. It is a 14-day exercise held from 17 to 30 November 2025. A total of 240 personnel are participating, with equal representation from the Indian Army and the British Army. Indian troops are from the Sikh Regiment. The exercise is conducted under a United Nations (UN) mandate focusing on counter-terrorism in semi-urban areas.

Himachal Pradesh’s Raulane Festival preserves the ancient faith and traditions of Kinnaur district. It is a 5,000-year-old festival honoring mystical celestial fairies called Saunis. Key ritual involves two men dressed as a symbolic groom (Raula) and bride (Raulane) in traditional Kinnauri woollens. The Raula and Raulane procession moves to Nagin Narayan Temple. They perform a slow, devotional dance symbolizing a connection between humans and the divine. The festival reflects Kinnaur’s rich cultural heritage and enduring spiritual practices.

A global review has identified 57 new living species of foraminifera. Foraminifera, or forams, are single-celled marine organisms found in oceans, coasts, and estuaries. Most have shells and are either planktonic (float in water) or benthic (live on sea floor). They are generally under 500 microns in size, though some tropical species reach 20 cm. Their name comes from foramen (Latin for window), with holes in shells for pseudopodia to gather food. They eat detritus, diatoms, bacteria, algae, and tiny animals like copepods. Shells are made of calcium carbonate (calcareous) or sand grains (agglutinate) with one or multiple coiled chambers.

Researchers recently confirmed a new species called Lycodon irwini, a glossy-black wolf snake from Great Nicobar Island, giving fresh importance to India’s biodiversity studies. It was discovered on the remote southern tip of the Nicobar Islands and belongs to the Lycodon subcinctus group. It is named after Australian conservationist Stephen Robert Irwin. It stayed unidentified for years because it closely resembled a widespread species. It has a uniform glossy-black colour, unlike relatives with white bands.

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying recently announced winners of the National Gopal Ratna Awards (NGRA) 2025, highlighting current progress in India’s dairy sector. NGRA are the highest honours in the livestock and dairy sector and were launched under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission in 2021. They are given by the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. The awards promote excellence among farmers, Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS), Milk Producer Companies (MPC), Dairy Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) and Artificial Insemination Technicians (AIT).

A recent incident at the Kwar Hydroelectric Project tunnel in Kishtwar, Jammu region saw several labourers safely rescued after a truck caught fire. The Kwar Hydroelectric Project is a 540 Megawatt (MW) run-of-river project on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir. It is being developed by Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Ltd (CVPPL), a joint venture of NHPC Ltd (51%) and Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) (49%). The project will generate 1,975.54 million units in a 90% dependable year.

The Supreme Court recently asked the Centre to decide on ratifying the United Nations Convention Against Cybercrime, stressing its global relevance. It was adopted by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2024 to boost global cooperation against cybercrime. It aims to strengthen prevention, support capacity-building for developing countries, and promote international coordination. It will come into force 90 days after 40 countries ratify it, and India has not signed it yet. It is the first universal legally binding treaty against cybercrime, developed by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

Sentinel-6B was recently launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, marking a major step in global ocean monitoring. It is a joint mission of NASA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and European Space Agency (ESA). It will track rising sea levels and their impacts, continuing the work of Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich launched in 2020. It orbits Earth at 7.2 km per second, completing one revolution in 112 minutes. It will measure sea levels with accuracy up to one inch, covering over 90% of oceans. Its mission life is 5.5 years. It carries six science instruments and uses fixed plus deployable solar panels in a non-Sun-synchronous orbit

The 6th National Water Awards 2024 highlighted India’s push for better water management in the recent context of rising water challenges. Maharashtra ranked 1st in the Best State category, followed by Gujarat and Haryana. The National Water Awards are given by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti. The awards aim to create awareness about the importance of water and promote best water-use practices. They are presented in 10 categories, including Best State, Best District, Best Village Panchayat, Best Urban Local Body, Best School or College, Best Industry, Best Water User Association, Best Institution, Best Civil Society and Best Individual.

The Union Food and Public Distribution Ministry recently launched new digital tools to modernise warehousing and improve transparency in the Public Distribution System (PDS). ANNA DARPAN is a new platform introduced by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to replace the old Depot Online System. It links procurement, storage, movement, sales, quality checks, labour management and contract monitoring under one integrated system. It acts as a single, reliable source of information for FCI and the Department of Food and Public Distribution.

Ukraine recently used US-supplied Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles to strike targets inside Russia, marking an important development in the current conflict. Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) is a United States (US) made surface-to-surface ballistic missile series developed in the 1980s by Lockheed Martin. The missile was first used in the 1991 Persian Gulf War and is also operated by Bahrain, Greece, South Korea, Taiwan and the UAE. It is an all-weather, inertially guided ballistic missile with a 305 km range and single-stage solid propulsion.

The Assam Government recently banned inter-district movement of live pigs to stop the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF), a rising concern in the region. African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease affecting pigs and wild boar, with mortality up to 90–100%. It is not zoonotic, meaning it does not infect humans or other livestock. First found in sub-Saharan Africa, ASF is now present across Europe, Asia and Africa, with India reporting its first cases in 2020 in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

India recently addressed the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) Roundtable at UNFCCC COP30 in Belém, Brazil, highlighting global efforts on industrial decarbonisation. LeadIT was launched in 2019 by India and Sweden with support from the World Economic Forum. It is the first global high-level initiative targeting net-zero emissions from heavy industries by 2050. It brings together countries and companies to promote public-private partnerships, finance, and best-practice sharing for an inclusive, just transition. LeadIT 2.0 (2024-26), launched at COP28, focuses on inclusive transition, low-carbon technology transfer and financial support to emerging economies. Its secretariat is hosted by the Stockholm Environment Institute, with 18 member countries and 27 companies.

Infrastructure major Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) and BAE Systems (British Aerospace Engineering Systems) recently won an Indian Army contract to supply BvS10 Sindhu, a specialised all-terrain armoured vehicle. BvS10 Sindhu is an upgraded India-specific version of the BvS10 (Beowulf Vehicle System 10) used by Austria, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. It is also ordered by the German Army and chosen for the Cold Weather All-Terrain Vehicle (CATV) programme of the United States Army. It has two connected vehicle sections that easily cross snow, marsh, mountains, and rough terrain.

The United States recently approved a nearly $700 million sale of NASAMS (National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System) to Taiwan. NASAMS is a medium-range ground-based air defence system designed to intercept aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and cruise missiles. It was jointly developed by Raytheon of the United States and Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace of Norway. It became operational in 1994 and was first deployed by the Royal Norwegian Air Force. NASAMS is used by 13 countries and has protected the United States National Capital Region since 2005.

A wild tiger has returned to Gujarat after decades, establishing a permanent presence in Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary. Ratanmahal Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Gujarat on the Gujarat–Madhya Pradesh border and was declared a sanctuary in March 1982. It is also called Ratanmahal Sloth Bear Sanctuary because it has the highest sloth bear population in Gujarat. The sanctuary forms the catchment of the Panam River in Central Gujarat.

The Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development 2024 was awarded to Michelle Bachelet, the first and only woman President of Chile and former UN (United Nations) High Commissioner for Human Rights. Bachelet served two presidential terms in Chile (2006–2010, 2014–2018) and led major education, tax, human rights, and gender equality reforms. It is awarded annually to any person or organisation regardless of nationality, race, or religion. It honours efforts promoting international peace, disarmament, racial equality, goodwill, and harmony. It recognises work supporting global economic cooperation and a new international economic order.

The Regional Open Digital Health Summit was recently held in New Delhi to advance interoperable and standards-based digital health systems across the Global South. It aims to build strong digital public infrastructure for transforming health systems in the South-East Asia Region. The summit is organised by the National e-Governance Division, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, with National Health Authority (NHA), WHO-SEARO (World Health Organization – South-East Asia Regional Office), and UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund). It focuses on accelerating adoption of open and interoperable digital health ecosystems in the region.