Daily Current Affairs - 18th November 2025
- TPP
- Nov 18
- 17 min read
Comprehensive UPSC Current Affairs Summary | Colonial Mindset in India, 16th Finance Commission, NMCG, IAFS, leopard birth-control programme, Precision biotherapeutics, UN CyberCrime Treaty, ESSC, Sentinel-6B, Ajeya Warrior and more.
If you missed Monthly Current Affairs Pointers (CAP) | Sept - Oct 2025, read it here.
Colonial Mindset in India |
The Prime Minister urged a 10-Year national pledge to shed the Colonial Mindset, which refers to attitudes shaped by British cultural, legal, and administrative dominance.
The Prime Minister highlighted that this mindset began deepening in 1835, when British MP Thomas Babington Macaulay initiated efforts to disconnect India from its cultural roots.
Macaulay’s Minute on Education (1835) promoted English education in India in place of traditional Oriental languages such as Sanskrit, Hindi, and Arabic (Oriental languages = classical Indian and Asian knowledge languages).
Mahatma Gandhi observed that India’s ancient education system was like a “beautiful tree” that got uprooted due to this imposed education model.
Core Elements of the Colonial Mindset
Language remains impacted because the use of English in courts and universities is considered aspirational, limiting access for many non-English speakers.
Culture was influenced as colonial rule imposed Western dress, food, art forms, manners, and values, often portraying Indian knowledge systems as inferior.
Laws and Institutions reflect colonial thinking because laws like the IPC (Indian Penal Code), Forest Laws, and Sedition provisions were designed for control rather than service.
Economic systems brought from British models prioritized private capital, which created impoverishment among large sections of society.
Knowledge systems weakened as indigenous learning was overshadowed by imported research and innovation models.
Cognitive Decolonisation – The Way Forward
(Cognitive Decolonisation = reshaping thinking, institutions, and culture to remove colonial-era biases)
Policy measures now focus on promoting Indian languages through the National Education Policy (NEP) to reverse linguistic imbalance.
The government is reviving indigenous knowledge systems to rebuild confidence in traditional Indian wisdom.
Reforms of colonial-era laws aim to replace control-centric structures with citizen-centric ones.
The renaming of Rajpath to Kartavya Path reflects a shift from colonial symbolism to a value of duty rather than entitlement.
Cultural revival through revitalisation of indigenous festivals and crafts helps nurture national pride.
International Yoga Day serves as a global symbol of India’s cultural and spiritual heritage.
The Sengol placed in the New Parliament signifies India’s democratic and civilisational legacy.
A behavioural shift is encouraged through Atmanirbhar Bharat, which promotes self-reliance in innovation and governance.
Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) strengthens this shift by encouraging sustainable and Indian-centric lifestyle practices.
SC Warning to Telangana Speaker |
The Supreme Court warned the Telangana Speaker for delaying a decision on an MLA disqualification under the Tenth Schedule.
The case of Padi Kaushik Reddy vs. State of Telangana prompted this judicial warning.
The Supreme Court clarified that the Speaker does not enjoy constitutional immunity when acting as a tribunal under the Tenth Schedule (tribunal = quasi-judicial authority deciding disputes).
About the Tenth Schedule (Anti-Defection Law)
The Tenth Schedule was introduced in 1985 through the 52nd Constitutional Amendment.
This Schedule lays down grounds for disqualifying legislators who voluntarily give up membership of their original political party.
It also disqualifies legislators who vote against party directives in the legislature.
It disqualifies a nominated member who joins any political party after six months from the date of their first sitting.
It disqualifies an independent member who joins any political party after being elected.
The Schedule contains an exception that allows party merger only when two-thirds of legislators of that party support the merger.
Significance of the Anti-Defection Law
The law helps curb political defections motivated by money, intimidation, or office of profit.
It enhances government stability by discouraging frequent floor-crossing (floor-crossing = switching parties inside the legislature).
It acts against the ‘Aaya Ram Gaya Ram’ trend that disrupts voter mandate and weakens democracy.
Role of the Speaker under the Tenth Schedule
The Speaker of the House decides petitions for disqualification under the Anti-Defection Law.
Speakers are often accused of delaying decisions because they generally belong to the ruling party.
The Supreme Court in Kihoto Hollohan vs. Zachillhu (1992) held that the Speaker acts as a tribunal under the Tenth Schedule.
The Court also held that the Speaker’s decisions are subject to judicial review by constitutional courts.
Key Judgments Related to Anti-Defection Law
In Sadiq Ali vs. Election Commission of India (1971), the Supreme Court laid down the three-test formula to identify the original political party.
The three tests include examining the party’s aims, its constitution, and its legislative majority.
In Rajendra Singh Rana vs. Swami Prasad Maurya (2007), the Court held that the Speaker cannot delay disqualification proceedings indefinitely.
In Keisham Meghachandra Singh vs. Speaker, Manipur (2020), the Supreme Court recommended that Speakers should ideally decide disqualification cases within three months, except in exceptional situations.
16th Finance Commission has submitted its 2026–31 Report |
The 16th Finance Commission has submitted its 2026–31 Report to the President of India.
This Finance Commission was constituted by the President under Article 280(1) of the Constitution.
Article 280(1) mandates the periodic creation of a Finance Commission to recommend financial relations between the Union and the States.
The Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission is Arvind Panagariya, who earlier served as the Vice-Chairman of NITI Aayog.
Terms of Reference (TOR) of the 16th Finance Commission
(TOR = Official tasks and responsibilities assigned to the Commission)
The Commission must recommend the distribution of net tax proceeds between the Union and the States.
The Commission must also recommend the allocation of these proceeds among individual States.
It must determine the principles governing grants-in-aid to States under Article 275 of the Constitution.
Article 275 provides financial grants from the Union to States for meeting necessary expenditures.
The Commission must suggest measures to augment the Consolidated Fund of a State for strengthening local bodies.
The Consolidated Fund of a State refers to the main account into which all state revenues are deposited.
The Commission’s recommendations to augment state resources must be based on State Finance Commission reports.
These measures aim to supplement the financial resources of Panchayats and Municipalities, ensuring stronger local governance.
Supreme Court Directions for Tiger Reserve Protection |
The Supreme Court issued new directions to strengthen protection measures in India’s tiger reserves.
These directions were issued to address rising Human–Wildlife Conflicts (HWCs) caused by habitat degradation, unregulated tourism, and fragmentation of wildlife corridors.
Human–Wildlife Conflict refers to harmful interactions between people and wildlife due to shrinking habitats or competition for resources.
Directions Issued by the Supreme Court
The Court restricted tiger safaris to non-forest or degraded forest land located only in buffer zones.
The Court prohibited tiger safaris in core areas and in designated tiger corridors.
The Court ordered that night tourism must be banned in core or critical tiger habitats.
The Court prohibited:
commercial mining in buffer and fringe areas of tiger reserves.
polluting industries in these buffer or fringe regions.
major hydroelectric projects in the same zones.
the introduction of exotic species in tiger reserve landscapes.
the use of low-flying aircraft over these protected habitats.
commercial firewood extraction from buffer or fringe areas.
Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZs)
(ESZ = buffer areas notified around protected areas to reduce human impact)
The Court directed that all tiger reserves must have their Eco-Sensitive Zones notified.
The Court mandated that these ESZs must be notified by the Union Ministry of Environment on the request of States.
These notifications must follow the 2018 guidelines issued under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
Tiger Conservation Plans (TCPs)
(TCP = statutory plan detailing protection, management, and habitat improvement measures for tiger reserves)
The Court directed all States to prepare or revise their Tiger Conservation Plans within set timelines.
The Court ordered States to notify core areas and buffer areas of all tiger reserves within six months.
Natural Disaster Status for HWCs
The Court directed that Human–Wildlife Conflicts should be treated as a natural disaster by States.
This classification ensures rapid relief and compensation to affected families.
The Court mandated a uniform ex-gratia compensation of ₹10 lakh for human deaths caused by HWCs.
The Court directed the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to draft HWC mitigation guidelines within six months.
The Court ordered all States to implement these guidelines once finalised.
About Tiger Reserves
Tiger reserves are legally protected areas created under Project Tiger (1973) for long-term tiger conservation.
Tiger reserves contain Core Areas which are inviolable and have no tourism or commercial activities.
They also contain Buffer Areas which allow regulated eco-development and limited tourism.
The National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) approves and notifies tiger reserves under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
State Governments propose sites for designation as tiger reserves.
India currently has 58 tiger reserves across various states.
National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) |
The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) approved several research projects to strengthen Scientific River Management of the Ganga basin.
The Executive Committee (EC) of NMCG emphasised that river rejuvenation must be research-led and data-driven.
The EC approved:
projects focusing on Monitoring of key Himalayan Ganga headstream glaciers to assess climate-linked hydrological changes.
the development of a Digital Twin of the Ganga, which is a virtual real-time replica of the river system for modelling and management.
high-resolution SONAR-based riverbed surveys to map underwater morphology and sediment behaviour.
managed aquifer recharge using paleochannels, which are ancient buried river channels storing groundwater.
the creation of a historic geospatial river database for long-term scientific understanding of the river system.
River Basin Management (RBM)
(RBM = Integrated management of all water resources and structures linked to a river basin)
River Basin Management refers to managing all natural and artificial processes linked to the water resources of a river basin.
RBM requires establishing Institutional Arrangements such as the National Ganga Council, NMCG, and State Ganga Committees.
RBM requires developing an Information System built on geospatial data, river maps, remote-sensing, and high-resolution surveys.
NMCG approved the creation of a Geospatial River Database for the entire Ganga River system.
RBM requires formulating Basin-wide Policies that identify protected areas across the basin.
These policies must include assessment of future water demand and supply based on scientific modelling.
These policies must include implementation of water conservation and recharge measures for sustainability.
RBM must involve all primary, secondary, and tertiary stakeholders, including governments, civil society, and private sector.
RBM requires the creation of Performance Indicators for monitoring water quality, pollution, ecological hazards, finances, and institutional capacity.
The Digital Twin model of the Ganga Basin will support real-time performance monitoring and decision-making.
Important Tasks in Water and River Basin Management
A Water Budget must be prepared at local or regional levels by measuring incoming and outgoing water flows.
A Water Budget must include details of various uses and competing requirements of water in each region.
Water management requires identification of factors such as human use, climate change, and land-use–land-cover (LULC) changes.
These identified factors must be coordinated to understand their combined impact on water resources.
Water management requires identification of local and regional water resources through complete data compilation.
Water management requires determining a Threshold Limit for sustainable water use based on scientific principles.
Water management requires identification of threatened water resources that need urgent attention.
These threatened resources must be addressed through priority-based intervention measures.
Water management requires active participation of all stakeholders who influence water quantity, quality, and aquatic life.
These stakeholders must help address issues affecting water availability, water purity, and aquatic organisms.
Ten Years Since the Last India–Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) |
It has been ten years since the last India–Africa Forum Summit (IAFS) was held in 2015.
This long gap requires reflecting on the opportunities and challenges in India–Africa relations.
Three IAFS summits have been held previously in 2008, 2011, and 2015.
These summits focused on broad development cooperation between India and African nations.
Opportunities in India–Africa Relations
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) creates a single African market for goods and services.
AfCFTA offers Indian investors immense scale and unified market access across Africa.
India is Africa’s third-largest trading partner after the EU and China.
India–Africa trade has surpassed $100 billion, indicating robust economic engagement.
Africa has been one of the world’s fastest-growing regions over the past decade.
Africa’s economic growth has created an expanding consumer base for Indian businesses.
Africa’s growing young workforce presents long-term economic opportunities for India.
India’s soft diplomacy strengthens ties through education and healthcare cooperation.
India contributes to African education through initiatives like IIT campuses abroad.
India strengthens capacity building through the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme.
India enhances digital education links through the Pan-African e-Network initiative.
India supports greater African representation in global institutions to promote equity.
This support enhances India’s leadership in South–South Cooperation (South–South = cooperation among developing countries).
India strongly advocated for the African Union’s membership in the G20.
India can help Africa leapfrog digital infrastructure gaps through Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
Challenges in India–Africa Relations
India faces strong competition from China’s large-scale investments in Africa.
China’s lending model raises concerns about debt-trap risks for African economies.
India’s own developmental projects in Africa face delays due to bureaucratic inefficiencies.
These delays reduce India’s ability to scale and implement its commitments effectively.
Political instability in parts of Africa, including frequent military coups, creates uncertainty.
Maritime insecurity in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) poses risks for trade and investment.
These maritime risks include piracy and maritime terrorism, which threaten long-term project viability.
Kampala Principles – 10 Guiding Principles for India’s Engagement with Africa
(Kampala Principles = India’s framework for equitable, sustainable, and mutually beneficial cooperation with Africa)
India aims to intensify and deepen its engagement with African nations.
India aims to create local capabilities and employment opportunities within Africa.
India aims to promote greater market access for African products and encourage greater Indian investments in African economies.
India aims to use digital tools to accelerate Africa’s development.
India aims to enhance agricultural productivity across African regions.
India aims to help Africa address climate change challenges through joint solutions.
India aims to combat terrorism in partnership with African nations and to promote peace and security across the African continent.
India supports free and open oceans for all nations, including African littorals.
India aims to work with Africa to fulfil the aspirations of African youth.
India collaborates with Africa to build a just, representative, and democratic global order.
India Signed first structured LPG supply deal with the US |
India has signed its first structured LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) supply deal with the United States, marking a major step in diversifying its energy import sources.
LPG refers to a mixture of hydrocarbon gases—mainly propane and butane—stored in liquid form under pressure, and it is widely used as a cooking and heating fuel.
The new deal provides for the import of 2.2 MTPA (Million Tonnes Per Annum) of LPG, which strengthens India’s long-term energy security.
This 2.2 MTPA import will meet around 10% of India’s total LPG demand, indicating its significant contribution to national consumption.
LPG typically contains 50–60% propane, which is a lighter hydrocarbon used for heating and ignition.
LPG also contains 40–50% butane, which is a heavier hydrocarbon that improves combustion efficiency.
The propane–butane ratio varies with season, because colder periods require more propane for better vaporization.
India produces about 12.8 million tonnes (MT) of LPG domestically, which accounts for roughly 35% of its total requirement.
India imports more than 21 MT of LPG, meeting around 65% of its national demand.
Qatar is the largest source of India’s LPG imports, reflecting strong energy trade ties.
The UAE is another major supplier of LPG to India, supporting India’s import diversity.
Kuwait also contributes significantly to India’s LPG imports, adding reliability to the supply chain.
Saudi Arabia remains an important supplier as well, strengthening India’s West Asian energy linkages.
Households account for over 90% of India’s total LPG demand, showing its dominance as a domestic cooking fuel.
Maharashtra’s leopard birth-control programme |
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has approved Maharashtra’s leopard birth-control programme, marking the first such initiative in India to address rising human–leopard conflict.
Leopards (Panthera pardus) are distributed across India, Nepal, Bhutan, and parts of Pakistan, indicating their wide South Asian range.
Leopards are absent in mangrove forests, because dense and waterlogged terrains limit their movement.
Leopards are also absent in desert regions, as arid landscapes cannot support sufficient prey.
The leopard is the smallest among the big cats, which include tiger, lion, jaguar, and snow leopard.
Leopards mainly prey on smaller herbivores, ensuring ecological balance.
Their prey includes the chital, which is also known as the spotted deer.
Their prey also includes the hog deer, a short-legged deer species found in grasslands.
They additionally hunt wild boar, which forms an important part of their carnivore diet.
Leopards are nocturnal, meaning they are active during the night.
Leopards spend most of their resting time on tree tops, which helps them stay safe and watch for prey.
They use the ground mainly for moving between locations, showing their arboreal adaptability.
The leopard is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, which indicates a risk of becoming endangered in the near future.
The leopard is listed in Appendix I of CITES, meaning it receives the highest level of protection in international trade.
The leopard is included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, giving it the highest legal protection within India.
Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) |
The Union Environment Minister of India addressed the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) Industry Leaders’ Roundtable at CoP30 in Belém, Brazil, highlighting India’s role in global industrial decarbonisation.
LeadIT was launched jointly by India and Sweden, showing a bilateral commitment to clean industrial transformation.
LeadIT is supported by the World Economic Forum (WEF), which is a global organisation promoting public–private cooperation.
LeadIT was introduced at the UN Climate Action Summit in 2019, placing it within the international climate negotiation framework.
The initiative aims to achieve net-zero carbon emissions from high-emitting industries by 2050, where net-zero means balancing emitted and removed greenhouse gases.
LeadIT became the first global high-level initiative focused on transforming heavy industries, such as steel, cement, and chemicals.
LeadIT promotes a just and equitable industry transition, ensuring fairness for workers and developing economies.
LeadIT strengthens public-private partnerships, which means collaboration between governments and companies.
LeadIT mobilises financial and technical resources, enabling industries to adopt cleaner technologies.
LeadIT supports knowledge-sharing among countries and industries, helping members learn from best practices.
LeadIT 2.0 for the period 2024–2026 was adopted at the annual LeadIT Summit during COP28, marking the next phase of the initiative.
LeadIT has 18 member countries, reflecting its broad international participation.
LeadIT also includes 27 member companies, showing strong involvement from global industry leaders.
Precision Biotherapeutics |
Precision biotherapeutics are emerging as the next frontier in personalised medicine, indicating a shift toward tailor-made treatments.
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) has identified Precision Biotherapeutics as one of the six focus areas under the BioE³ Policy, showing its strategic national importance.
Precision biotherapeutics refer to the targeted application of biological agents, where biological agents include proteins, cells, or gene-based therapies produced from living systems.
These therapies are tailored to an individual patient’s genetic profile, meaning treatment is based on the person’s DNA characteristics.
They are also adapted to the patient’s environment, which includes external factors influencing health.
They further consider the patient’s lifestyle, such as diet, habits, and activity levels.
Precision biotherapeutics use gene-editing technologies, which modify DNA sequences to correct or alter genes.
They use mRNA platforms, which deliver messenger RNA to instruct cells to produce specific therapeutic proteins.
They include monoclonal antibodies, which are artificially created antibodies that target specific disease-causing molecules.
They involve personalised cell-based therapies, where a patient’s own cells are modified and reinfused for treatment.
Precision biotherapeutics improve treatment efficacy, meaning they increase the likelihood of achieving the desired therapeutic effect.
They also reduce adverse effects, because targeted therapies minimise damage to healthy tissues.
These therapies are especially effective in rare genetic disorders, which are diseases caused by mutations in single genes.
They are also valuable in autoimmune diseases, where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own cells.
United Nations Convention against Cybercrime |
Amid rising digital arrest scams, the Supreme Court of India asked the Centre to decide on ratifying the UN CyberCrime Treaty, highlighting the need for stronger cybercrime governance.
The UN CyberCrime Treaty refers to the United Nations Convention against Cybercrime, which is a global legal framework to combat cyber offences.
It is the first universal legally binding framework for the collection, sharing, and use of electronic evidence, ensuring consistency in cross-border investigations.
Electronic evidence refers to data stored or transmitted digitally, such as emails, social media messages, or transaction logs.
The treaty criminalizes cyber-dependent crimes, which are offences that can only exist because of computers or digital networks.
It also criminalizes offences related to online fraud, which is deception carried out through digital platforms to gain financial or personal benefit.
The treaty covers online child sexual abuse, aiming to protect minors from exploitation on digital platforms.
It includes offences like non-consensual dissemination of intimate images, often referred to as “revenge porn,” to protect privacy.
The convention was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 24 December 2024, marking its formal acceptance by the international community.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) serves as the treaty’s secretariat, coordinating implementation and support for member states.
Earth System Sciences Council (ESSC) |
The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) has constituted the Earth System Sciences Council (ESSC) to unify and streamline governance across its autonomous institutions.
ESSC aims to integrate five autonomous MoES institutes under a coordinated framework, promoting better collaboration and decision-making.
The council’s purpose is to improve governance, which refers to the system of rules, practices, and processes by which these institutes are managed.
ESSC governance is chaired by the Union Minister for Earth Sciences, providing top-level leadership to break institutional silos.
Institutional silos refer to isolated operations within organizations, which can hinder communication and efficiency.
The council promotes a whole-of-government approach, meaning coordination across multiple government agencies for unified policy implementation.
Under ESSC, institutes retain their original mandates, allowing them to continue their specialized research and operations.
However, they follow common committees, ensuring coordinated decision-making across the five institutes.
Institutes also produce a unified annual report, which consolidates achievements and progress for public and governmental review.
Shared administrative oversight is implemented, enabling streamlined management of human, financial, and operational resources.
ESSC strengthens climate services, which include weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and advisories for agriculture and disaster management.
It enhances disaster preparedness, enabling timely response and mitigation of natural hazards.
The council supports ocean and atmospheric research, crucial for understanding environmental changes and predicting extreme events.
ESSC also improves public outreach, ensuring citizens and stakeholders receive accurate scientific information and guidance.
Sentinel-6B : Joint Mission between NASA, NOAA and ESA |
The Sentinel-6B satellite was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on a Falcon 9 rocket, marking the latest step in global ocean monitoring.
Sentinel-6B is a joint mission between NASA, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), and the European Space Agency (ESA), showing strong international collaboration.
The satellite is designed as an ocean-tracking mission, which means it monitors changes in the world’s oceans.
It carries six onboard science instruments, which are specialized devices to collect precise environmental and oceanographic data.
Sentinel-6B’s primary purpose is to measure rising sea levels, providing critical information on climate change.
The satellite also assesses the impacts of sea-level rise on Earth, including coastal flooding and erosion.
Its data helps scientists understand sea-level rise, which is crucial for designing climate policies and mitigation strategies.
This information supports the protection of coastal communities and infrastructure, reducing risks from flooding and extreme events.
Sentinel-6B also improves the accuracy of weather forecasts, aiding short-term predictions of storms and floods.
Enhanced forecasting includes better prediction of extreme weather events, which is vital for disaster preparedness and response planning.
Initial Public Offering (IPO) |
India’s Chief Economic Advisor raised concerns about the use of Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) as an exit route for early-stage investors, instead of serving as a tool for raising long-term capital.
An IPO refers to the first sale of securities of a private company to the public in the primary market, where primary market is the market for newly issued shares.
Through an IPO, a privately-held company is transformed into a public company, enabling it to raise capital from a wider pool of investors.
IPOs are the largest source of funds with long or indefinite maturity for the company, meaning the money raised does not have a fixed repayment schedule.
There are two main types of IPOs: Fixed Price Issue and Book Building Issue, offering different methods for pricing shares.
A Fixed Price Issue sets a predetermined price for the shares, allowing investors to know the exact cost before subscribing.
A Book Building Issue has no fixed price but uses a price band, where the final share price is determined based on investor demand.
8th Edition of Ajeya Warrior |
The eighth edition of the India-UK Joint Military Exercise “Ajeya Warrior-25” commenced in Rajasthan, demonstrating ongoing defence collaboration between the two countries.
Ajeya Warrior exercises have been held biennially since 2011, meaning they take place once every two years.
The exercises are conducted between the Indian Army and the British Army, focusing on strengthening interoperability and operational coordination.
Ajeya Warrior is conducted under a United Nations mandate, which provides an international framework for peacekeeping and military operations.
The focus of the exercise is on counter-terrorism operations, which involve military strategies to prevent, respond to, and neutralize terrorist threats.
The training takes place in a semi-urban environment, meaning areas that are partially urbanized, combining elements of both city and rural terrain.