Daily Insights November 7, 2025

Daily Insights November 7, 2025

1. India-EU Free Trade Agreement: Negotiations Progress

Source: PIB

Syllabus: GS-2: International Relations | Date: 6 November 2025

Key Points:

• Senior EU negotiating team visited New Delhi (3-7 November 2025) for week-long FTA discussions

• High-level meetings: Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal & EU Director-General for Trade Sabine Weyand (5-6 November)

• Negotiations scope: goods, services, investment, sustainable development, rules of origin, technical trade barriers

• Both sides committed to accelerate efforts toward balanced trade agreement

• Commerce Secretary raised concerns on EU regulatory measures: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and new steel regulations

• Target completion: End of 2025

• Key achievement: Multiple divergences narrowed; common understanding on key issues

UPSC Relevance: Trade agreements directly impact India’s economic growth, export competitiveness, manufacturing sector development, and compliance with global standards.

2. First Private PSLV Launch: 50% Handover to Industry by 2026

Source: Indian Express

Syllabus: GS-3: Space Technology & Self-Reliance | Date: 6 November 2025

Key Points:

• HAL-L&T consortium completed first privately-built PSLV

• Launch scheduled: February 2026 (end of FY 2025-26)

• Private sector currently contributes: 80-85% of systems for ISRO missions

• ISRO’s post-launch plan: Transfer 50% of PSLV development to Indian industry

• HAL-L&T contract: Production of five PSLV-XL rockets end-to-end

• Shift from traditional supply model to capability-building partnership

• Exemplifies Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliance) initiative

UPSC Relevance: Reflects India’s space technology ambitions, private sector participation, and vision of self-reliant defense manufacturing under Make in India initiative.

3. INS Ikshak: Indigenous Survey Vessel Commissioned

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS-3: Defence & Maritime Domain | Date: 5-6 November 2025

Key Points:

• Third Sandhayak-class hydrographic survey vessel commissioned at Kochi Naval Base

• Built by: Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata

• Indigenous content: 80% (supports Aatmanirbhar Bharat defense manufacturing)

• Specifications: Length 110m | Beam 16m | Displacement 3,300-tonne | Crew 231 (20 officers)

• Advanced equipment: Multi-beam echo sounder, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), 4 survey motor boats

• Dual capability: Hydrographic surveys + 40-bed hospital ship for HADR (Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief)

• Named after Sanskrit word “Ikshak” meaning “Guide”

• Station: Southern Naval Command

UPSC Relevance: Strengthens maritime domain awareness, naval capabilities, blue economy initiatives, and defense sector self-reliance. Revenue generation through data-sharing with friendly nations.

4. 2025 Among Top Three Warmest Years: UN Climate Alert

Source: Down to Earth

Syllabus: GS-3: Climate Change & GS-1: Geography | Date: 6 November 2025

Key Points:

• World Meteorological Organization (WMO) finding: 2025 = 2nd or 3rd warmest year on record

• Consecutive trend: 2023, 2024, 2025 = three warmest years ever recorded

• Global mean temperature (Jan-Aug 2025): 1.42°C ± 0.12°C above pre-industrial average

• Record streak: 26 consecutive months (June 2023 – August 2025) of monthly temperature records

• Projection: 2015-2025 will be warmest 11-year period in 176-year observation history

• Greenhouse gas concentrations: At unprecedented levels (locks in future warming)

• UN warning: Paris Agreement 1.5°C limit now “virtually impossible” without temporary overshoot

• Implication: Even with net-zero emissions, 1.5°C limit likely to be breached temporarily

UPSC Relevance: Critical for understanding climate crisis severity, environmental policy imperatives, India’s climate commitments, and Paris Agreement goals. Relevant to GS-3 environment and GS-2 international agreements.

5. Delhi’s Air Pollution: ₹4 Crore Mist-Spraying Project

Syllabus: GS-3: Environmental Pollution & Urban Management | Date: 7 November 2025

Key Points:

• Public Works Department (PWD) implementing automatic mist-spraying systems in 3 industrial areas

• Locations: Narela (Shahpur Garhi), Bawana (Pooth Khurd), Jahangirpuri

• System capacity: 2,000 liters/hour reverse-osmosis-treated water

• Operating schedule: Two shifts (6 AM-2 PM & 2 PM-10 PM) with 15-minute spray intervals

• Project cost: ₹4 crore (includes 5 years operation, maintenance, defect-free liability)

• Target pollution source: Road dust (major PM2.5 contributor during winter)

• Tender status: Already floated

• Part of comprehensive winter smog management strategy for NCR region

UPSC Relevance: Addresses critical air quality management issue in NCR, environmental pollution mitigation strategies, and urban environmental governance. Relevant to GS-3 environment and GS-2 governance.

6. Bihar Elections: Record 64.66% Voter Turnout in Phase 1

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS-2: Electoral Process & Governance | Date: 5-6 November 2025

Key Points:

• First phase Bihar Assembly elections: Historic 64.66% voter turnout

• Record achievement: Highest turnout in Bihar’s assembly election history (previous: 62.57% in 2000)

• Nationwide highest: First time turnout exceeds Lok Sabha record (64.6% in 1998)

• Election structure: 121 of 243 seats voted (Phase 1) | 122 seats remaining (Phase 2: 11 November)

• Result date: 14 November 2025

• Turnout despite: Special Intensive Revision (SIR) deleted 47 lakh voter names from rolls

• Notable trends: High participation among women and first-time voters

• International observers: Six countries’ election visitors monitored polling

• Comparison: Phase 1 turnout 64.66% vs Phase 1 (2020) turnout 56.2% – significant increase

UPSC Relevance: Reflects democratic participation quality, electoral reforms implementation, voter engagement trends, and effectiveness of electoral processes. Important for understanding Indian democracy and governance issues.

7. Right to Vote vs. Freedom of Voting: Centre’s Constitutional Distinction

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS-2: Constitutional Law & Fundamental Rights | Date: 6 November 2025

Key Points:

• Centre’s legal position: “Right to vote” ≠ “Freedom of voting”

• Right to vote: Statutory right under Representation of People Act, 1951 (S. 53(2))

• Freedom of voting: Fundamental right under Article 19(1)(a) Constitution (freedom of speech & expression)

• Petition background: Challenges Section 53(2) RPA and related rules

• Petitioner argument: Rules violate Article 19(1)(a) by preventing NOTA use in uncontested elections

• Constitutional distinction: Statutory rights vs. fundamental constitutional rights

• Judicial interpretation: Voting choices represent political expression protected under Article 19

• Case implication: Defines boundary between electoral law and fundamental rights

UPSC Relevance: Important for constitutional jurisprudence understanding, voter autonomy interpretation, and fundamental rights application. Relevant to GS-2 polity, constitution, and rights framework.

8. Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) National Policy: Upcoming Launch

Source: The Hindu

Syllabus: GS-3: Energy & Climate Action | Date: 5-6 November 2025

Key Points:

• Government announcement: National Policy on Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) with roadmap to 2050

• SAF blending targets: 1% by 2027 | 2% by 2028 | 5% by 2030 in Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF)

• India’s aviation fuel demand projection: 30-31 million tonnes by 2040

• SAF environmental benefit: 80% CO2 emission reduction vs. conventional jet fuel

• India’s biomass potential: 750 million tonnes annually available

• Economic benefits: $5-7 billion annual crude oil import bill reduction + 1 million green jobs

• Feedstock options: Sugarcane-based | Used cooking oil | Algae oil | Karanja | Jatropha

• International collaboration: Strategic Clean Energy Partnership (SCEP) with USA

• Research: CSIR-Indian Institute of Petroleum developing indigenous feedstock solutions

UPSC Relevance: Critical for India’s Net Zero 2070 commitment, green energy transition, renewable energy policy, climate action initiatives, and private sector engagement in environmental goals.

9. Universal Basic Income (UBI): Redrawn Welfare Architecture

Syllabus: GS-3: Social Welfare & GS-2: Social Justice | Date: 5-7 November 2025

Key Points:

• Editorial thesis: UBI as response to India’s wealth inequality crisis

• Inequality data: Richest 1% own 40% national wealth | Top 10% control 77%

• Happiness index: India ranks 126th in World Happiness Report 2023 (despite 4% GDP growth)

• UBI economics: ~5% of GDP for ₹7,620 annual income per capita

• Key advantages: Bypasses targeted scheme leakages | Eliminates stigma, bureaucracy, corruption

• Philosophical transformation: Shifts citizen-state relationship from dependency to rights-based guarantee

• Political benefits: Decouples income security from political patronage | Enables informed voting

• Implementation readiness: Aadhaar, DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer), Jan Dhan infrastructure available

• Phased rollout: Start with vulnerable groups (women, elderly, persons with disabilities)

• Complementary approach: Should work alongside PDS (Public Distribution System) & MGNREGA initially

UPSC Relevance: Central to social security policy debates, inclusive growth strategy, social protection architecture, and India’s approach to poverty reduction. Important for economics and social issues in UPSC.

10. Surrogacy Law: Expansive Reading for Infertile Couples

Syllabus: GS-2: Social Issues & Constitutional Rights | Date: 5-7 November 2025

Key Points:

• Legal issue: Call for broader interpretation of “infertility” under Surrogacy Regulation Act, 2021

• Current law restriction: Only medically diagnosed PRIMARY infertility eligible for surrogacy

• Reform demand: Expand definition to include SECONDARY infertility

• Eligibility criteria: Couples married ≥5 years | Woman 23-50 years | Man 26-55 years

• Surrogacy type permitted: Altruistic only (commercial surrogacy banned)

• Surrogate qualifications: Close relative | Age 25-35 | Married with ≥1 biological child

• Medical requirement: District Medical Board certification of infertility mandatory

• Insurance coverage: 36 months post-delivery protection required

• Judicial intervention: Supreme Court examining age bar provisions (January 2025 hearings)

• Rights balance: Expands reproductive rights while protecting surrogate women from exploitation

UPSC Relevance: Important for understanding reproductive rights, medical ethics, gender protection laws, and India’s social policy evolution. Relevant to GS-2 social issues and constitutional rights.

11. Khangchendzonga National Park: Only Indian Site Rated “Good” by IUCN

Source: News of Air

Syllabus: GS-3: Biodiversity Conservation & Environmental Protection | Date: 6 November 2025

Key Points:

• IUCN rating: Khangchendzonga rated “Good” in World Heritage Outlook 2025

• Unique status: ONLY Indian natural heritage site with positive IUCN rating

• UNESCO designation: First Indian “mixed” World Heritage Site (2016) – natural + cultural values

• Geographic scope: 1,784 sq km | Ranges from subtropical forests to Mt. Khangchendzonga (8,586m – 3rd highest globally)

• Biodiversity features: 280 glaciers | 70 glacial lakes | Snow leopards | Clouded leopards | Red pandas | 550+ bird species

• Cultural significance: “Mayel Lyang” sacred to Lepcha people | “Beyul” sacred to Tibetan Buddhists

• Spiritual preservation: Monasteries like Tholung maintain traditions alongside conservation

• Ecosystem integration: Extended Biosphere Reserve (2018) links core zones with buffer areas

• Community partnership: Ranger collaboration with residents | Cross-border coordination with Nepal’s Kanchenjunga Conservation Area

• Management success: Hazard mapping prevented glacial lake outburst flood disasters

• Comparative status: Other Indian sites – Western Ghats (Significant Concern) | Sundarbans (Concern) | Manas & Kaziranga (Good with Concerns)

UPSC Relevance: Model for integrated conservation combining environmental protection, cultural heritage, and community participation. Important for biodiversity policy, UNESCO recognition, and sustainable development goals.

12. 150 Years of Vande Mataram: National Song Commemoration

Source: PIB

Syllabus: GS-1: Indian History & GS-2: Constitutional Values | Date: 6-7 November 2025

Key Points:

• Historic milestone: 150 years of Bankimchandra Chatterji’s “Vande Mataram” (composed 7 November 1875)

• Composition date: Akshaya Navami, 7 November 1875

• First publication: Literary journal “Bangadarshan” – serialized as part of novel “Anandamath”

• Historical significance: Enduring symbol of India’s unity, national pride, anti-colonial resistance

• Constitutional recognition: 24 January 1950 – Dr. Rajendra Prasad (Constituent Assembly President) granted “Vande Mataram” equal honour with National Anthem “Jana Gana Mana”

• Commemoration scope: Year-long nationwide celebration (7 November 2025 – 7 November 2026)

• Prime Minister initiative: Narendra Modi inaugurating national commemoration launch

• Mass singing event: 7 November 2025, 9:50 AM – nationwide full version singing

• Commemorative items: Special stamp and coin released by PM

• Public participation: Website https://vandemataram150.in/ launched

• Legacy: Continues to unite nation in pride and patriotism post-independence

PIB

Daily Insights