Daily Current Affairs- 20th November 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 20th November 2025

HDFC Bank Reclaims Top Spot as India’s Most Valuable Brand in 2025

In the News: HDFC Bank has reclaimed its position as India’s most valuable brand in 2025, according to the Kantar BrandZ “Top 100 Most Valuable Indian Brands” report, registering a brand value of about US $44.9 billion and surpassing Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) which held the top spot in prior years.

Key Points:

• Brand Re-ascension: HDFC Bank jumped back to the top of the ranking after having led the list until 2021, before TCS overtook it in 2022-24.
• Valuation & Growth: The bank’s brand value grew about 18 % year-on-year to nearly US$45 billion and has grown by approximately 377 % since 2014 when the first BrandZ India report was published. 
• Ranking Landscape: TCS sits at second (~US$44.2 billion), Bharti Airtel third (~US$41 billion); HDFC Bank’s elevation reflects strong brand performance in the financial-services sector. 

• Sectoral Insights: The combined value of India’s Top 100 brands reached about US$523.5 billion in 2025, which corresponds to roughly 13 % of India’s GDP; however, the overall year-on-year growth was only about 6%, down from about 19% in previous years.
• Drivers of HDFC Brand Growth: Innovation in digital banking, strong consumer trust, the merger with its parent HDFC Ltd, and ownable brand assets (for example, HDFC’s “Vigil Aunty” persona for fraud-awareness) are cited as key factors.

Nitish Kumar Sworn In As Historic 10th Term As Bihar CM

In the News: Nitish Kumar was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Bihar for a historic 10th term at Patna’s iconic Gandhi Maidan. The oath ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and other dignitaries. This oath follows a landslide victory for the NDA in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, where the alliance won 202 out of 243 seats.

Key Points:

• Record-Setting Term: Nitish Kumar took oath as Bihar Chief Minister for the tenth time, setting a new record and positioning himself to become the longest-serving Chief Minister in India if the full term is served.
• Election Success: The NDA secured a decisive win with 202 seats. JD(U), Nitish’s party, won 85 seats, while the BJP won 89 seats, alongside smaller allies adding to the majority.
• Oath Ceremony: The event at Gandhi Maidan was marked by significant political attendance, including Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan and LJP chief Chirag Paswan.
• Deputy Chief Ministers: Samrat Chaudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha were reappointed as Deputy Chief Ministers, indicating continuity in leadership.
• Cabinet Composition: The new cabinet includes experienced leaders and fresh faces from JD(U), BJP, and smaller allies, with a focus on experienced governance and grassroots representation.

108th Birth Anniversary of Indira Gandhi

In the News:  India commemorated the 108th birth anniversary of Indira Gandhi, the country’s first and only woman Prime Minister. Various ceremonies and tributes were held across the nation, including floral offerings at her memorial Shakti Sthal in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, senior Congress leaders, and citizens remembered her legacy of bold leadership, national integration, and transformative reforms.

Key Points:

• Anniversary Observed: Indira Gandhi’s 108th birth anniversary was solemnly observed on November 19, 2025, honoring her as a fearless leader who shaped modern India.
• Tributes by Leaders: PM Modi paid homage through social media, while Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi offered floral tributes at Shakti Sthal, highlighting her contributions to India’s unity, security, and progress.
• Historic Leadership: Indira Gandhi served as Prime Minister from 1966 to 1977 and 1980 until her assassination in 1984. She is remembered for decisive actions like the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War and major policies like the Green Revolution and poverty alleviation efforts.
• Legacy of Strength and Determination: Her leadership was marked by a strong commitment to a united India and economic self-reliance. The day also coincides with National Integration Day, emphasizing her role in strengthening India's social fabric.

Saudi Arabia Named Major Non-NATO Ally by US

In the News: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was formally designated as a “Major Non-NATO Ally” (MNNA) by the Donald Trump administration of the United States of America during the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Washington. This elevation marks a significant deepening of the bilateral security, defence and economic partnership between the two countries.

Key Points:

• Announcement & Status: President Trump announced at a White House dinner that Saudi Arabia would join the select group of countries holding MNNA status, which places it alongside allies such as Israel, Jordan and Kuwait. Defence & Arms Cooperation: As part of the new status, Saudi Arabia is set to gain access to advanced U.S. military hardware including the fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets and nearly 300 American tanks, as well as increased military logistics and storage rights on its territory. 
• Broader Strategic Deal: The MNNA designation was part of a wider strategic framework between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia covering civil nuclear cooperation, artificial-intelligence technologies, critical-minerals partnerships and large-scale Saudi investment pledges in the U.S. economy.
• What MNNA Means: Under U.S. law, MNNA status grants priority access to U.S. defence articles and services, authorises participation in joint R&D with the U.S. Department of Defense, permission to host U.S. war-reserve stockpiles, and increased eligibility for U.S. defence-industry contracts — though it does not entail a mutual defence treaty like NATO membership.
• Strategic & Regional Impacts: The move signals a major shift in Middle Eastern geopolitics. It strengthens the U.S.–Saudi strategic alignment, potentially alters the balance of power in the Gulf region, and raises concerns among other regional actors (including Israel) about advanced weapon transfers and global technological access.

Michelle Bachelet Awarded Indira Gandhi Peace Prize

In the News: Michelle Bachelet, former President of Chile and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, was awarded the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace, Disarmament and Development in New Delhi. The award was presented by Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party, recognizing Bachelet’s lifelong dedication to human rights, gender equality, and global justice.

Key Points:

• Award Ceremony: Michelle Bachelet received the prestigious Indira Gandhi Peace Prize on November 20, 2025, in recognition of her remarkable contributions to peace and human rights.
• Human Rights Leadership: Bachelet served two terms as Chile’s President and as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, with major achievements in advancing women's rights, education reforms, and LGBT rights.
• Institutional Reforms: She established Chile’s Ministry of Women and Gender Equality, the National Institute for Human Rights, and the Museum of Memory and Human Rights.
• Advocacy for Equality: Bachelet worked extensively to promote gender quotas in politics and passed legislation supporting civil unions and reproductive rights.
• Global Engagement: As the first Director of UN Women, she focused on empowering women worldwide, combating violence against women, and advancing gender equality.
• Vocal Critic and Advocate: She has been vocal on global human rights issues, including raising concerns about laws impacting civil liberties and activists in various countries, including India.

WHO's GLASS 2025 Report on AMR

In the News: The WHO released its Global Antibiotic Resistance Surveillance Report 2025 (GLASS 2025), which presents global estimates of antimicrobial-resistance (AMR) prevalence and trends based on over 23 million bacteriologically confirmed infections from more than 104 countries. The report reveals that globally about one in every six confirmed bacterial infections in 2023 were resistant to antibiotic treatment, and it highlights that in the South-East Asia region (which includes India) the rate is as high as one in three.

Key Points:

• Global AMR Burden: GLASS 2025 finds that laboratory-confirmed bacterial infections from 93 infection-type/ pathogen/ antibiotic combinations showed high resistance levels; overall, antibiotic resistance rose in over 40% of the monitored combinations between 2018 and 2023.
• India’s AMR Situation: Within India, the report notes that approximately one in three bacterial infections were resistant to commonly used antibiotics in 2023 — significantly above the global average.
• Drivers of High AMR in India: The high resistance is attributed to factors such as widespread over-the-counter antibiotic access, self-medication, incomplete treatment courses, environmental contamination (from pharmaceutical manufacturing and hospital/industrial waste) and weak regulation and enforcement.
• Surveillance Gaps: The report points to limitations in India’s data — mostly derived from tertiary-care hospitals and public sector labs, with rural, primary-care and private-sector data under-represented; and limited pathogen/ specimen coverage, hampering a complete national picture. 
• Policy/Action Imperatives: GLASS 2025 calls for strengthening of surveillance systems (including broader lab networks), adoption of One Health approaches (human-animal-environment links), stringent antibiotic stewardship, regulation of antibiotic sales, and support for new antibiotic development.

Turkey is Ready to Host COP31 Climate Summit

In the News: Turkey has secured the hosting rights for the COP31 United Nations Climate Change Summit, scheduled to be held in 2026 at the Antalya Expo Center in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya. This decision ended a prolonged stalemate with Australia, which had also bid to host the summit but ultimately conceded to Turkey. As part of a unique compromise, Australia will lead the conference's negotiations while Turkey will assume the formal presidency and hosting responsibilities of COP31.

Key Points:

• Hosting Rights Secured: Turkey will host COP31, marking a significant moment for the country as it prepares to welcome global leaders, climate experts, and thousands of delegates to Antalya in 2026.
• Compromise with Australia: Australia agreed to relinquish its bid to host but will lead the climate negotiations during the summit and organize a pre-COP event in the Pacific region. This arrangement resolves a diplomatic impasse between the two nations and exemplifies collaboration.
• Turkey’s Position: As an emerging economy, Turkey aims to use its presidency of COP31 to promote unity among wealthy and developing nations by fostering a more global perspective on climate action rather than a regional focus.
• Timeline and Challenges: With only a year to prepare, Turkey faces a tight timeline amid the comprehensive logistical and diplomatic groundwork required for hosting the summit.
• Significance of COP31: COP summits are crucial global platforms for advancing climate action, encouraging international cooperation on emissions reduction, green technology, and sustainable development goals.

SC strikes down Vanashakti judgment: Why ruling is significant

In the News: The Supreme Court of India, by a 2:1 majority, recalled its earlier May 2025 judgment (the Vanashakti judgment) which had barred the grant of ex-post-facto environmental clearances under the Environmental Impact Assessment Notification 2006 framework. The Court held the earlier judgment was per incuriam for ignoring binding precedents and highlighted that blanket prohibition of retrospective clearances could lead to severe economic loss and potentially greater environmental harm.

Key Points:

• Recall of Judgment: The Supreme Court convened a new bench with Chief Justice B. R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran (majority) and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan (dissenting) and recalled the May 2025 Vanashakti judgment because it failed to consider earlier judgments allowing limited ex-post-facto clearances.  
• Ex-post-facto Environmental Clearances: The heart of the matter is whether projects that begin work without prior environmental clearance (EC) may obtain clearance retrospectively. The Vanashakti judgment had struck down the 2017 Notification and 2021 Office Memorandum issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) which provided for such clearance..
• Legal Precedents: The majority held that the May judgment ignored key decisions such as Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd v. Rohit Prajapati & Ors. (2020) and D. Swamy v. Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (2022) which permitted retrospective clearances in exceptional cases. Because of this oversight the judgment was considered per incuriam.
• Economic & Environmental Balance: The Court emphasised that strictly insisting on demolition of projects undertaken without prior EC could paradoxically cause more environmental harm (through demolition debris, reconstruction waste) and waste thousands of crores of public money. A balanced approach was deemed necessary.

The Supreme Court rarely exercises the power to review its own judgments.

In the News: The Supreme Court of India, exercising its rare constitutional power under Article 137, recently recalled a significant judgment from May 16, 2025, which had declared ex post facto environmental clearances illegal. This recall has effectively reopened the issue for litigation, reflecting a cautious judicial approach in balancing environmental protection with developmental needs.

Key Points:

• Constitutional Provision: Article 137 of the Indian Constitution empowers the Supreme Court to review its judgments, but this power is sparingly used to correct glaring errors, omissions, or judicial mistakes within 30 days of the original decision.
• Exceptionality of Reviews: The Supreme Court treats reviews as exceptions to the finality of its rulings, permitting them only in the rarest of cases where miscarriage of justice is evident.
• Recall of May 16, 2025 Judgment: The Court, by a 2-1 majority, recalled its earlier judgment from May 16, 2025, that had deemed retrospective environmental clearances illegal and barred their grant, citing the adverse economic impact and challenges to public infrastructure projects.
• Dissent and Precautionary Principle: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan dissented strongly, underscoring the precautionary principle as a cornerstone of environmental law and opposing the recall.
• Legal and Practical Balance: The majority highlighted that strict enforcement of the original judgment could cause massive project demolitions and economic loss, pointing to the need for judicial pragmatism in environmental and development matters.
• Impact: The recall has put ex post facto environmental clearances up for fresh litigation and review, signaling an ongoing judicial engagement with the complexities of environmental governance and sustainable development.

India’s First Commercial PSLV Set to Launch Oceansat

In the News: India is poised to mark a milestone in its space industry as the first commercial-build version of the PSLV‑XL rocket — manufactured entirely by the private sector consortium of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) — is scheduled to launch the Oceansat Earth-observation satellite in early 2026, signalling a major shift in India’s launch-vehicle manufacturing paradigm.

Key Points:

• Commercial launch vehicle manufacturing: The HAL-L&T consortium has built the first end-to-end industry-manufactured PSLV-XL rocket under a contract signed in 2022 by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) (via its commercial arm), marking the first time the production of this launch vehicle platform has shifted from ISRO in-house manufacturing to private industry.
• Mission timeline: The rocket is expected to launch early in 2026 carrying the Oceansat satellite, and the industry-team anticipates two to three launches in the coming year once the new model of manufacturing is operational. 
• Strategic significance: By transferring manufacturing of a proven launch vehicle to industry, ISRO aims to focus more on high-end missions, research and development, while enabling a higher cadence of launches through private-sector participation, boosting India’s position in the global commercial launch market.
•  Industrial ecosystem boost: The move is expected to strengthen India’s domestic space manufacturing ecosystem, encourage private investment, create supplier networks, and enhance the country’s credibility as a reliable launch partner in the international market.
• Launch vehicle variant: The PSLV-XL variant used here features extended strap-on boosters for increased payload capacity and has been India’s workhorse launcher, now being repurposed through a commercial manufacturing model.