Banking Awareness of 15, 16, 17 and 18 November 2025

Topic: Taxation

1. India imposed anti-dumping duty on steel from Vietnam.

• A five-year long anti-dumping duty of $121.55 per tonne on imports  of hot-rolled flat steel from Vietnam has been imposed by India.
• As per industry experts, this is an attempt to deal with indirect inflows of low-priced Chinese steel through Vietnamese exporters.
• In its investigation, DGTR found that pricing practices adopted by Vietnam were harming domestic steel manufacturers in India.
• The anti-dumping duty imposed by India applies to alloy and non-alloy hot-rolled flat steel up to 25 mm thick and 2,100 mm wide.
• Coated, plated, clad, and stainless varieties are excluded from anti-dumping duty.
• India’s steel imports stood at 9.5 million tonnes in FY25. China's share stood at 2.4 million tonnes in the first eleven months.
• Total finished steel imports declined 27.6% in April–May 2025. Chinese volumes fell 47.7% in the same period.
• Anti-dumping duty:
  • It is imposed by custom authorities over normal customs duty in order to prevent cheaper export of goods from a country to another country.
  • Dumping or cheaper export of goods from a country may distort trade in another country.
  • Anti-dumping duty is recommended by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) and imposed by the Ministry of Finance.

Topic: Appointments

2. Raghavendra Srinivas Bhat has been appointed Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Karnataka Bank.

• He has been appointed for a one-year term starting November 16, 2025.
• Reserve Bank of India has approved his appointment in its letter issued on November 14, 2025.
• Board of Directors of the Karnataka Bank formally ratified the appointment after receiving the RBI’s approval.
• In July, banks' Board of Directors had appointed Bhat as an Additional Director and interim MD & CEO from July 16, 2025.
• His interim tenure was later extended by an additional month beginning October 16, 2025.
• Former MD & CEO Srikrishan Hari Hara Sarma stepped down on June 29, 2025 , with his resignation becoming effective on July 15, 2025.
• Karnataka Bank is a Scheduled Commercial Bank based in Mangaluru, Karnataka. It is a private sector bank. It was founded in 1924.

Topic: Miscellaneous

3. IICA–WNS Ybrant Programme on CSR, ESG, and Sustainability jointly launched by Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs (IICA) and WNS Global Services in New Delhi.

• The programme aims to align business performance with sustainable and inclusive growth.
• It also aims to integrate CSR, ESG, and sustainability into mainstream management education.
• Its goal is to prepare students for purpose-driven leadership roles.
• India’s CSR spending increased from ₹10,065.93 crore in FY 2014–15 to ₹34,908.75 crore in FY 2023–24.
• Ybrant represents a tripartite collaboration between government, industry, and academia.
• It is a six-month course, which includes classroom sessions, and fieldwork.
• Weekly live sessions led by IICA faculty and industry experts are conducted through IICA’s online learning platform.

Topic: Banking/Financial/Govt Schemes

4. Punjab became the first state to implement the revised Bharat Net scheme statewide.

• Punjab has bagged the honour of becoming the first state in India to implement the amended Bharat Net Scheme across its entire territory.
• On November 11, Punjab Chief Secretary K.A.P. Sinha received the award from CGM BSNL Punjab Circle Ajay Kumar Karara in Chandigarh.
• Internet and broadband services have been provided in 43 shadow areas of the state, with only one village remaining.
• By the end of November, every village will be covered.
• With this achievement, Punjab’s rural and border regions can now be monitored live from any location in the country.
• The Bharat Net Scheme has been designed to provide broadband connectivity to all Gram Panchayats, households, and key rural institutions.
• It also aims to support e-health, and e-governance initiatives in villages to strengthen digital inclusion.
• In October 2011, the Government of India launched an ambitious project called BharatNet, which aims to provide affordable high-speed internet access to every Gram Panchayat in the country.
• The project is being implemented by a special purpose vehicle (SPV) called Bharat Broadband Network Limited (BBNL).
• BBBL was formed on February 25, 2012, under the Indian Companies Act, 1956.
• In August 2023, the government approved the Revised BharatNet Programme (ABP).

Topic: Miscellaneous

5. 44^th India International Trade Fair started at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi.

• Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Jitin Prasada, inaugurated 44th India International Trade Fair.
• The theme of 44th India International Trade Fair is “Ek Bharat–Shreshtha Bharat.”
• Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Bihar are partner states of 44th India International Trade Fair.
• Jharkhand is the focus state of 44th India International Trade Fair.
• Twelve nations are joining the 14-day international fair. These include the UAE, China, Iran, South Korea, and Egypt.
• The fair serves as a key hub for domestic and global commerce. It enables strong B2B and B2C connections.
• The first five days of 44th India International Trade Fair are reserved exclusively for business visitors. General entry will start on November 19.
• India International Trade Fair is organised by India Trade Promotion Organization.
• India Trade Promotion Organization is nodal trade promotion agency of the Government of India.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

6. The 30^th CII Partnership Summit 2025 inaugurated by the vice president.

• On 14 November, the 30th CII Partnership Summit 2025 was inaugurated by Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh.
• The two-day event was organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry with support from the Government of India and the Andhra Pradesh Government.
• India’s rapid emergence as a prosperous nation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership was highlighted by the Vice President.
• The country’s strong economic growth, promising startup ecosystem, and expanding digital infrastructure were emphasised.
• India is on its way to becoming the world's third largest economy and is developing as a major startup hub.
• Andhra Pradesh was described as one of India’s best investment destinations where the Centre and State are working harmoniously.
• Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu outlined the State’s shift from ease of doing business to speed of doing business with real-time approvals.
• The State’s 10-point strategy to boost national investments and its development of drone, electronics, aerospace, space, semiconductor and defence corridors was presented.
• Shri Naidu said the state has achieved success in attracting US$ 20 billion and creating 2 million jobs in 17 months, with a future target of US$ 0.5 trillion investment and 5 million jobs.

Topic: Indian Economy/Financial Market

7. India's wholesale inflation declined deeper into negative territory and reached at –1.21% in October.

• India's wholesale inflation had stood at 0.13% in September.
• Cheaper food items, crude oil, natural gas, electricity, mineral oils and basic metal products led the negative rate of inflation during the last month.
• Between September and October, the WPI food index remained steady at 192.0.
• Its annual inflation rate declined to -5.04%. Its annual inflation rate stood at -1.99% a month earlier.
• WPI food index remained in deflation for the second consecutive month.
• Primary commodities recorded a 6.18% deflation. Fuel and power prices also registered 2.55% deflation.
• Price growth in manufactured goods slowed to 1.54% in October from 2.33% in September.
• WPI tracks price movements at the wholesale level. CPI measures shifts in consumer prices.
• Retail inflation earlier eased to 0.25% in October.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

8. Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, addressed the 2nd edition of Udyog Samagam 2025.

• It was organised by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade.
• Industries and Commerce Ministers from 14 States and Union Territories, came together during the conference.
• They came together review progress under the Business Reforms Action Plan 2024 and to felicitate the best-performing States and UTs.
• At Udyog Samagam 2025, States and UTs were honoured for excellence under Business Reforms Action Plan 2024 across 25 reform areas.
• Uttarakhand and Punjab were top achievers across five reform areas.
• Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh were recognised for being top achievers across four reform areas.
• Maharashtra, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh were top achievers across three reform areas.
• Gujarat, Karnataka, and Tripura were recognised for being top achievers across two reform areas.
• Goa and Meghalaya were recognised across one reform area.
• Odisha, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Assam, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir, and Karnataka were fast movers under  Category Y (States/UTs with established business systems).
• All States/UTs were classified as Aspirers under Category X (North-Eastern States and UTs with developing systems).
• Business Reforms Action Plan 2024 covered 434 reform points. Under scoring framework, 70 percent weightage was applied to user feedback and 30 percent weightage was applied to evidence.