Daily Current Affairs and GK | 13 November 2025

Topic: Science and Technology

1. India’s first megawatt-hour scale Vanadium Redox Flow Battery (VRFB) system inaugurated by Union Minister Manohar Lal.

• The system was inaugurated by Union Minister during his visit to NETRA, the R&D Centre of NTPC at Greater Noida.
• It has a capacity of 3 MWh. The project marks a major step forward in India's journey towards long-duration energy storage technology.
• It aims to strengthen renewable energy integration and enhance grid stability.
• The Vanadium Flow Battery is one of the alternatives to conventional lithium-ion batteries.
• It expands the range of elements that can be used for energy storage systems.
• During his visit, he inspected multiple demonstration facilities and also saw the MSW-RDF Steam Gasification Plant and a 4 MWp AC Microgrid with a 1 MWh Li-NMC battery system.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

2. G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment (NIHE) is organising a three-day Himalayan Conclave.

• The conclave is being organised from November 13 to 15, 2025, at the NIHE headquarters in Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand.
• The conclave is titled “Indian Himalayan Region–2047: Environmental Conservation with Sustainable Socio-Economic Growth.”
• It aims to develop a vision for Himalayan region aligned with the Viksit Bharat 2047 initiative.
• Scientists, policymakers, administrators, NGOs, and community representatives are taking part in the conclave.
• During the conclave, participants will discuss environmental protection, climate adaptation, and sustainable development in the Himalayas.
• The event also aims to create a strategic roadmap for key challenges, including climate change, unsustainable land use, demographic pressures, and natural disasters such as glacier retreat and flash floods.
• Discussions will be held across six thematic areas, covering biodiversity, natural resource management, climate resilience, sustainable livelihoods, governance, and gender inclusion.
• The conclave also aims to update the Himalayan Action Plan.
• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is cohosting the conclave with NIHE.
• Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Integrated Centre for Mountain Development (ICIMOD), International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are partners.
• Other partners are IIT Roorkee, National Centre for sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM), Wetland's Interaction South Asia (WISA), Uttarakhand Council of Science and Technology (UCOST).
• National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), State Bank of India (SBI), and several universities and NGOs are also partners.

Topic: National Appointments

3. BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi appointed chairperson of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Amendment Bills.

• The committee will examine the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2025, and the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
• The appointment was made after the Lok Sabha adopted a motion to refer these key bills to a joint committee for detailed study and recommendations.
• A total of thirty-one members have been nominated to the committee, representing various political parties.
• Among them, fifteen are from the BJP, eleven belong to NDA allies, four represent the opposition, and one is a nominated member.
• Prominent BJP leaders such as Ravi Shankar Prasad, Parshottambhai Rupala, Anurag Thakur, and Brij Lal are part of the committee, along with nominated member Sudha Murty.
• Opposition leaders including Supriya Sule, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Asaduddin Owaisi, and Niranjan Reddy have also been included in the panel.
• Congress and Trinamool Congress, however, declined to participate, stating that the bills go against the legal principle that a person remains innocent until proven guilty.
• These three bills, introduced on the final day of the Monsoon Session on 20 August 2025, propose the automatic removal of the Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, or Ministers if they are detained for 30 days on serious charges.
• The Lok Sabha passed a resolution to refer the bills to a Joint Committee of Parliament.

Topic: State News/Sikkim

4. The 13th International Tourism Mart organised in Sikkim to showcase the tourism potential of the Northeast.

• The 13th edition of International Tourism Mart (ITM) is being organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India from 13 to 16 November 2025 in Gangtok, Sikkim.
• The event was inaugurated by Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
• It has been hosted with the objective of highlighting the rich natural beauty, cultural diversity, and adventure tourism opportunities of India’s North-Eastern region.
• The International Tourism Mart is an annual flagship event of the Ministry of Tourism aimed at showcasing the tourism potential of the North Eastern Region – the "Ashta Lakshmi" of India – to domestic and international audiences.
• Sikkim was chosen as the venue to underline its global recognition as a model of eco-friendly and community-led tourism.
• Representatives from 19 countries, including Spain, Thailand, France, Germany, Russia, and Vietnam have participated, along with domestic and international tour operators, influencers, and media.
• The Mart features technical sessions, B2B meetings, product presentations, and panel discussions on cinematic tourism, homestays, youth entrepreneurship, and digital innovation.
• Cultural showcases and field visits to Rumtek Monastery, Do Drul Chorten, and Namgyal Institute of Tibetology have been arranged to exhibit the heritage and traditions of the North East.

Topic: India and Its Neighbourhood

5. The Bhutan-India Kalachakra Empowerment Ceremony for Global Peace inaugurated.

• The Kālacakra, or ‘Wheel of Time’, Empowerment ceremony was jointly inaugurated in Bhutan by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the King of Bhutan during the Global Peace Prayer Festival.
• The event was presided over by His Holiness the Je Khenpo and brought together Buddhist monks, scholars, and devotees from across the world.
• Prime Minister Modi’s two-day state visit to Bhutan concluded with this ceremony, symbolising the shared cultural and spiritual ties between the two nations.
• During the visit, Prime Minister Modi announced a concessional Line of Credit worth ₹4,000 crore to support Bhutan’s energy sector projects.
• The leaders of both countries jointly inaugurated the 1,020 MW Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project, marking a new chapter in India–Bhutan energy cooperation.
• Three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were also exchanged in renewable energy, mental health, and healthcare to deepen bilateral collaboration.
• The Prime Minister met his Bhutanese counterpart, Dasho Tshering Tobgay, where discussions were held on regional development, technology, and space cooperation.
• Both sides expressed satisfaction over progress in Phase II of UPI integration, which will enable Bhutanese visitors to make digital payments in India using local apps.

Topic: Important Days

6. World Pneumonia Day 2025: 12 November

• World Pneumonia Day is observed every year on 12 November.
• Its main aim is to raise awareness regarding the complications and issues related to pneumonia.
• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), pneumonia kills more children under five than any other infectious disease.
• It also poses a serious threat to older people and those with chronic health conditions, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
• World Pneumonia Day was first established in the year 2009 by the Global Coalition Against Child Pneumonia.
• Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda reiterated the government's commitment to protect every child from pneumonia on World Pneumonia Day.
• The Social Awareness and Action to Neutralise Pneumonia Successfully (SAANS) initiative has been launched by the Government of India to reduce childhood pneumonia through strong health systems and community awareness.
• It was further highlighted by the minister that the campaign’s message, “Pneumonia nahi, toh bachpan sahi”, inspires collective action for prevention and timely care.
• Pneumonia:

• Pneumonia is an infection which is caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi.
• It can be prevented by the proper vaccination against this disease.
• Air pollution is the main risk factor for death from pneumonia.
• Cough, high fever, fast heartbeat, rusty phlegm coughed from lungs, and shortness of breath are symptoms of pneumonia.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

7. A new Credit Guarantee Scheme for Exporters has been approved by the Union Cabinet.

• The scheme will provide full credit protection for exporters, including MSMEs.
• The scheme aims to facilitate up to ₹20,000 crore in additional credit.
• A revision of royalty rates for minerals such as caesium, graphite, rubidium, and zirconium has also been approved by the Cabinet.
• This move will promote mineral block auctions. It will strengthen domestic production of critical minerals like lithium, tungsten, and niobium.
• A new Export Promotion Mission (EPM) has been approved with a budget of over ₹25,000 crore.
• This major initiative was announced in the Union Budget 2025–26.
• It seeks to increase export competitiveness, especially for MSMEs, new exporters, and labour-intensive sectors.
• The mission will provide a flexible, and digitally driven framework for export growth from FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31.
• The mission is a strategic consolidation of scattered export schemes into a single, unified mechanism.

Topic: Reports and Indices

8. India has achieved a 21 per cent reduction in tuberculosis cases over the past decade.

• This is nearly twice the global decline rate of 12 per cent.
• The World Health Organization’s Global TB Report 2025 highlights this progress.
• According to the report, TB incidence in India fell from 237 cases per lakh people in 2015 to 187 per lakh in 2024.
• The Ministry of Health attributed this achievement to enhanced case detection and improved access to treatment services.
• Data also shows that multidrug-resistant TB cases have remained stable, with no major increase.
• Deaths caused by tuberculosis dropped from 28 per lakh population in 2015 to 21 per lakh in 2024.
• Government programmes are driving efforts to eradicate TB across the country.
• These programmes include the TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, and Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana.
• Tuberculosis is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It commonly affects the lungs. It is also called the white plague.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

9. CSIR and NICDC signed MoU to strengthen Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.

• Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has signed an MoU with the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (NICDC).
• The MoU aims to improve research and development capabilities of CSIR.
• As per Ministry of Science and Technology, the collaboration seeks to build a self-reliant and innovation-driven industrial framework.
• The collaboration will support national initiatives such as Make in India, Startup India, and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
• Under the partnership, the development of R&D hubs, industrial incubators, and innovation centres within smart cities is  envisioned.
• These centres will strengthen links between industry, academia, and research institutions.
• Under the partnership, the focuse is on promoting high-tech entrepreneurship and accelerating innovation-led industrial growth.
• It will also help identify and deploy cutting-edge technologies.
• Key sectors that will benefit include biotechnology, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and aerospace.

Topic: Art and Culture

10. National Tribal Film Festival and Carnival has started in Imphal.

• National Tribal Film Festival and Carnival marks the start of a four-day celebration as part of Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh initiative.
• National Tribal Film Festival and Carnival features 23 tribal films from nine Indian states.
• These films show the richness of tribal art, culture, and storytelling traditions.
• The festival aims to promote tribal cinema and creative expressions from indigenous communities across India.
• Screenings and cultural events are being held at the City Convention Centre and the Manipur State Film Development Society complex.
• The festival will continue until November 15. Feature films from Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal, and six northeastern states are part of the festival.
• Janjatiya Gaurav Varsh is being held to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda, a tribal freedom fighter.